Sayfa 1

MIDDLE EAST BULLETIN GÜNLÜK ORTADOĞU BÜLTENİ

22 JUNE / HAZİRAN 2011 NO: 1185

CONTENTS / İÇİNDEKİLER 1. IRAQ / IRAK

Iraq: Al-Sadr rejects any Iranian attack on Iraq

Religious authorities’ stand over status of US Forces in Iraq

Maliki: Iraq still under risk

Ministry of Defense: Iraqi troops Tunisian man leading an Al Qaeda cell in Mosul

Blast targets Diwaniya governor house, 22 killed

Talabani and Ahmadinejad talk of importance of Iraq-Iran relations

Mutlag meets with Minister of Human Rights

Maliki demands that media take its role as fourth authority through democratic mechanisms

Watching with concern Maliki's gov't repression - Kurdish Intellectuals

Iraqi-Iranian border demarcation in process

Iraq’s Foreign Minister visits Iran on Tuesday

İran Kürdistan’a Bomba Yağdırıyor

2. IRAN / İRAN

İran ve Irak’tan ikili ve bölgesel işbirliğine vurgu

Commander Stresses Iran's Upper-Hand in Soft War

Iran, Russia Welcome Formation of National Gov't in Lebanon

Rusya Dışişleri Bakanı’nın özel temsilcisi Şeybani ile görüştü

Suudi Arabistan'ın çabaları sonuç vermez

Nuclear chief invites Amano to visit Iran’s nuclear sites

Salehi avoids impeachment through Malekzadeh resignation

Ahmedinejad: Bölge sorunları yabancıların müdahalesi olmadan çözümlenmeli

Pakistan, Tahran’ın terörle mücadele konferansına cumhurbaşkanı düzeyinde katılıyor

Camp Ashraf to be closed by year-end: Zebari

Iran parliament starts impeachment proceedings against foreign minister, ally of Ahmadinejad

3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL – FİLİSTİN

Senior Israeli source: Iran actively helping Syria squash demonstrations

Israel approves transfer of $100 million of building goods into Gaza

Fayyad to stay on as Palestinian prime minister

Netanyahu to Erdogan: Israel and Turkey should renew spirit of friendship

IAF strikes Gaza tunnel

US citizens head to Greece to join Gaza-bound flotilla

Netanyahu sends congratulatory letter to Erdogan

4. AFRICA AND EGYPT / AFRİKA VE MISIR

" FJP Begins Coordinating With Other Parties Ahead of Elections"

State Council: Const

Defying leadership, Brotherhood youth form new party

European Parliament slams Amr Moussa for his close ties to Mubarak

Tuesday’s papers: Al-Azhar backs a civil state and ElBaradei’s on top

Moussa: Christians are not a minority in Egypt

Al Bashir: Halayeb to Bridge Strong Ties with Egypt

Egypt's 'noble poor' denied their role in the revolution

Woman at centre of sectarian violence in Imbaba, Abeer Talaat, is released

Tunisians voice unease over Ben Ali 'charade' verdict

Morocco's Draft Constitution: Much Ado about Nothing

End of consultation on political reforms ordered by President Bouteflika

Morocco: Arab League welcomes the new draft constitution

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5. LEBANON AND JORDAN / LÜBNAN VE ÜRDÜN

Lebanon's Arabic press digest - June 22, 2011

Berri: Cabinet to undergo test to prove competence

6. SYRIA / SURİYE

Arap Medyası El-Esad'ın Konuşmasına Geniş Yer Ayırdı

SANA Correspondents: Millions of Syrian Citizens Flock to Public Squares in Support of the Comprehensive Reform Program under Leadership of President Bashar al-Assad

Dr. Shaaban: The West had better support the process of democracy Syria is witnessing process instead of imposing sanctions on the country

7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE BASRA KÖRFEZİ

Yemeni protesters demand interim council to prevent Saleh’s return

Clashes in Taiz Resume

Massive Demonstration in Sana'a as Protesters Warn of Attempts to Abort Uprising

More focus on rights issues in Bahrain

Bahrain 'will emerge stronger'

The Independent: Bahraini leadership faces new claims that torture took place in hospital

8. SOUTH ASIA / GÜNEY ASYA

PAKISTAN / PAKİSTAN

Three security officials, four militants killed in Khyber, Orakzai

Pakistani support for military action against militants drops: poll

AFGHANISTAN / AFGANISTAN

Suicide Attack Targeting Afghan Governor Kills Female Student

One killed in suicide attack in Afghanistan's Parwan province

Tehran, Kabul to exchange terror data

China pleased to see progress in Afghan reconciliation: FM spokesman

Obama plans to call back 30,000 troops from Afghanistan by 2012: report

1 NATO soldier killed in IED blast in S. Afghanistan

Peace in Afghanistan a long way off: Australian DM

Sayfa 3

1. IRAQ / IRAK

Iraq: Al-Sadr rejects any Iranian attack

on Iraq

Controversial Iraqi political and

religious leader Moqtada al-Sadr has

stated that he comprehensively rejects

any Iranian attack on Iraq, even if it

targets the "American occupiers". To

date, this is the strongest position

taken by the firebrand cleric who is the

leader of the Sadrist movement and

enjoys strong ties with Tehran.

Al-Sadr's surprising comments comes

in response to a statement made by

Iranian ambassador to Iraq Hassan

Danaifar to local Iraqi media. In this

statement, Danaifar threatened that

Iran would respond against Iraq in the

event of the US carrying out an attack

on the country from its bases within

Iraq. He stressed that "we informed

the Iraqi officials that Iran will, of

course, respond to any attacks carried

out against it from within Iraqi

territory." The Iranian ambassador to

Iraq also confirmed that "our Iraqi

friends have confirmed that they

would not allow any country to use its

territory to launch at attack on Iran."

According to the statement published

yesterday by the website of the

Political Commission of the Sadrist

movement, al-Sadr "in response to a

request for a formal [religious] opinion

put to him regarding the statements

made by the Iranian ambassador and

in which he said that : in the event that

we [Iran] are subject to American

bombardment from Iraq, there will be

an Iranian response against Iraq, his

Eminence [Ayatollah al-Sadr] answered

that: we will not allow this, even if it is

the [American] occupiers who are

being targeted."

The Iranian embassy in Baghdad

yesterday declined to comment on the

statements attributed to the Iranian

ambassador, informing Asharq Al-

Awsat that "there is no official in the

Iranian embassy in Baghdad who is

authorized to comment on this issue."

The Iranian embassy in Baghdad also

told Asharq Al-Awsat that "the Iranian

ambassador to Iraq, Hassan Danaifar,

is currently present in Tehran."

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For his part, senior member of the

Sadrist trend, MP Hakim al-Zamili told

Asharq Al-Awsat that "the position

taken by Sayyid Moqtada al-Sadr in

this regard is in essence an expression

of the truthfulness of the Sadrist

movment's position with regards to

the national issues that there must be

no bargaining on for any reason, nor

any excuse or pretext…for Iraq

becoming a springboard for aggression

against any neighboring country." He

added that "we also do not accept Iraq

becoming an arena for others to settle

scores from within our territory."

Al-Zamili added that "the position of

the Sadrist trend as clearly expressed

by its leader Moqtada al-Sadr is based

upon well-known fundamentals,

namely respecting our neighboring

countries and respecting our

legitimacy as a nation and

homeland…al-Sadr's main concern is

Iraq, therefore he hopes that our

relations with all neighboring countries

is built on mutual respect and the

development of common interests in

all fields."

As for al-Sadr's rejection of any Iranian

attacks on Iraqi soil, even if this is

targeting the American forces, MP

Hakim al-Zamili informed Asharq Al-

Awsat that "our position in this regard

is clear and frank because we reject

Iraq becoming an arena for score-

settling at the expense of the national

interests of Iraq. Therefore, in the

event that Iran wants to settle its score

with the US, or vice versa, this should

not come at the [national] interests of

Iraq, because we have had enough of

wars and problems, especially as we

have suffered from this problem for

more than 30 years."

For its part, the Iraqi State of Law

coalition that is led by Iraqi Prime

Minister Nuri al-Maliki also

comprehensively rejected the

statements made by Iranian

ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaifar. A

prominent member of the State of Law

coalition, Adnan al-Saraj, told Asharq

Al-Awsat that "Iraq's position on this

issue is clear and frank; the Americans

and Iranians are both aware of this

position, and we previously informed

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the Americans of our formal rejection

of any attack against Iran being carried

out from within our territory whatever

the pretext. We also informed them

[the Americans] of our rejection of

Iraqi airspace being used as a

springboard for any bombardment of

Iran, whether this is via Turkey or

Israel, and this is something that the

Americans are well aware of."

Al-Saraj also told Asharq Al-Awsat that

"the Iraqi position is one that rejects

these statements because there is no

justification for this, not to mention

that this is not a new position. Our

position is that at the same time that

we reject Iran being bombarded from

within our territory, we also reject Iran

issuing such statements that false

positions can be based upon."

He also stressed that "we informed the

Americans that we will solve our

problems and issues ourselves –

whether these are internal or with our

neighbors – and that we do not need

any foreign intervention, whatever the

reason." Al-Saraj concluded by

stressing to Asharq Al-Awsat that "Iraq

also informed the US of its rejection of

the US settling its score with Al Qaeda

within Iraqi territory."

Sadrist trend leader Moqtada al-Sadr's

position on this issue represents a new

and strong position taken by this

traditionally Shiite pro-Iranian Iraqi

group. According to the political

observers in Baghdad, the Sadrist

trend finds itself in an extremely

strong political position today,

witnessing an increase in popularity in

the Iraqi street, as well as winning 40

parliamentary seats at the last

elections. Iraqi political observers have

commented that perhaps al-Sadr, who

is known for possessing a rebellious

and volatile personality, has decided to

exploit his party's strong political

position to take a stance against Iran,

particularly as many analysts believe

that Tehran pressured the Sadrist

trend to ally with Nuri al-Maliki's State

of Law coalition to resolve the crisis

surround the formation of the

previous Iraqi government last year.

http://www.asharq-

e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=25610

Sayfa 6

Religious authorities’ stand over

status of US Forces in Iraq

The spokesman for cleric Sayyed

Moqtada Al Sadr announced on

Monday that Al Sadr received

feedback from religious authorities

over the extension of US troops term

in Iraq beyond 2011.

Religious authorities rejected the

extension of US Forces term in Iraq,

the spokesman said.

Al Sadr affirmed to the religious

authorities that Washington is

pressuring the Iraqi government to

“legalize” the non-withdrawal of US

Forces, a source from Al Sadr Front

revealed.

Sadr Front leader Sayyed Moqtada Al

Sadr sent referendums to a number of

Sunni and Shiite authorities over their

stand if US Forces remain in Iraq

beyond 2011. Religious authorities

rejected the extension of US troops

term which they believe is a violation

to the country’s sovereignty and an

aggression against the people’s

integrity, Salah Al Ubaidi told

Alsumarianews.

After receiving the answers of religious

authorities, Al Sadr stressed the

necessity for the people including Iraqi

tribes to mark a stand against the

extension of US troops term in Iraq, Al

Ubaidi added.

In this regard, Al Sadr addressed the

following religious authorities: Kazem

Al Ha’iri, Isaac Al Fayad, Mahmoud Al

Hashemi Al Husseini, Ali Al Akbar Al

Ha’iri, Mortada Al Moussawi Al Kazwini

and head of the Supreme Shiite Islamic

Council Abdul Amir Qabalan Al Tofaili

in addition to Muslims Scholars

Association and Al Azhar Al Sharif as

well as Cardinal Emmanuel, a source

from Al Sadr Front told

Alsumarianews.

The referendum was based on three

questions namely: “What if the

occupier stays in Iraq without the

approval of the Iraqi government. How

can we legally back the government?

What would be our stand if the

occupier stays in Iraq by the consent of

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the government? Kindly advise about

this issue”, the source speaking on

condition of anonymity said.

Religious authorities rejected the

extension of US troops in Iraq beyond

2011, the source said.

Al Sadr’s letter read out: “The occupier

has implicit intentions that are close to

settling in beloved Iraq. The occupier

wants to pressure the Iraqi

government in order to ratify a law

that legalizes their presence in the

country with the authority to make

arrests and interfere in the interior

affairs of a country that enjoys an

Islamic history and future”.

Speaker Ousama Al Nujaifi affirmed on

Sunday night that any decision

regarding the new security agreement

with the United States would be

difficult to take in light of the

complicated political situation in the

country.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-

News/1-65570-Religious-

authorities%E2%80%99-stand-over-

status-of-US-Forces-in-Iraq.html

Maliki: Iraq still under risk

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki

affirmed on Monday that Iraq is still

under risk urging all political parties to

renounce the policy of marginalization

and opt for love and forgiveness.

In the ceremony celebrating the 3d

foundation anniversary of the national

reform movement led by Ibrahim Al

Jaafari, Al Maliki noted that Iraq is still

under risk. He noted however that he

is not pessimistic but he is calling to be

aware and vigilant in order not to face

the same exceptional circumstances in

Iraq.

“Iraq is still facing challenges. The

country has made a major leap

towards stability, sovereignty, security

and reconstruction. There remains a

lot to do”, Al Maliki added.

Iraqi Prime Minister stressed the

necessity to renounce and eradicate

the culture of violence, oppression and

sectarianism within our parties,

movements and educational

institutions.

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This is how we can renounce this

culture which does not belong to the

Iraqi people long known for

forgiveness and love among the

different components of the Iraqi

society.

In June 2008, the national reform

movement was formed including

political, social, cultural and religious

parties led by former Prime Minister

Ibrahim Al Jaafari.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-

News/1-65553-Maliki%3A-Iraq-still-

under-risk.html

Ministry of Defense: Iraqi troops

Tunisian man leading an Al Qaeda cell

in Mosul

Iraq Ministry of Defense said on

Monday that it arrested an official in Al

Qaeda from the Tunisian nationality

and another 16 members who

constitute an armed cell led by the

Tunisian man. The arrest took place

during a special operation in Mosul.

Defense Ministry Spokesman Brigadier

General Mohammad Al Askari said

during an interview with

Alsumarianews that a “troop of Iraqi

army carried out a security operation

on the left cost of Mosul city and

arrested an Al Qaeda cell constituted

of 16 people led by a Tunisian man”.

“The troop ceased big quantities of

explosives, arms and TNT”. “The force

took the arrested to a detention

center for investigation”, he added

without giving any further details.

“The special operation was based on

precise intelligence information”, he

uttered. To that, Media Official of Al

Qaeda Ahmad Abdul Karim Ali

Suleiman was arrested during a

security operation in Samarra region in

Saladin Province, the second most

important state in Al Qaeda’s Iraq

Islamic State, after Diyala.

It is to be noted that the province of

Nineveh, the center of which is Mosul

city 405 km north of Baghdad, is

considered a security hot spot

according to the Iraqi government and

US troops since security incidents such

explosions and operations against

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security forces and citizens take place

on a daily basis.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-

News/1-65555-Ministry-of-

Defense%3A-Iraqi-troops-Tunisian-

man-leading-an-Al-Qaeda-cell-in-

Mosul.html

Blast targets Diwaniya governor

house, 22 killed

A double explosion targeting the

house of Diwaniya governor left

behind at least 57 people among killed

and wounded mostly policemen, Iraqi

medical and security sources reported

on Tuesday.

The bombings were carried out by two

suicide bombers in two car bombs, the

Defense Ministry said.

A car bomb exploded at 8:15 am on

Tuesday in front of the house of Al

Diwaniya governor Salem Hussein

Alwan in Al Sawb Al Saghir region,

central Diwaniya, security sources told

Alsumarianews.

When policemen and Civil Defense

gathered in the incident, site a second

explosion detonated killing 22 and

wounding 35 others mostly policemen,

the sources reported.

“It is not yet known whether the

governor and his family escaped death

or not”, the sources continued.

The death toll is expected to rise, they

added.

Defense Ministry spokesman Brigadier

General Mohammed Al Askari told

Alsumarianews that the bombings

were triggered consecutively by

suicide bombers in two car bombs.

Security Forces imposed intensified

security measures in the incident site,

he added.

Diwaniya province, 180 km southern

Baghdad, enjoys remarkable security

stability. However, attacks have

increased in the last three months

mostly targeting the US base in the

province since 2003.

http://www.alsumaria.tv/en/Iraq-

News/1-65551-Blast-targets-Diwaniya-

governor-house%2C-22-killed.html

Sayfa 10

Talabani and Ahmadinejad talk of

importance of Iraq-Iran relations

The Iraqi and Iranian presidents have

stressed the importance of the growth

of relations between their two

countries.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Jalal

Talabani spoke over the phone today

according to Iranian state broadcaster,

Press TV.

"The expansion of relations between

Iran and Iraq will be beneficial to

regional peace and security," President

Ahmadinejad said.

Talabani expressed his happiness at

the increasing closeness of the two

neighbors and said that better

relations can only be a good thing for

the whole of the Middle East.

hmadinejad highlighted the cultural

ties between Iraq and Iran and said:

"The two countries have great

potential to promote bilateral and

regional ties.”

Meanwhile, Iraqi Foreign Minister

Hoshyar Zebari arrived in the Iranian

capital, Tehran, today on an official

visit to discuss ways to enhance

bilateral ties. He will meet with senior

Iranian officials, including President

Ahmadinejad.

http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/

4/247794/

Mutlag meets with Minister of Human

Rights

Deputy Prime Minister Salih Al Mutlag

discussed with Human Rights Minister

Mohamed Shiaa Al Sudani "ways to

achieve human justice and bring

fairness to the oppressed and the

preservation of the freedoms under

the democratic experiment Iraq is

experiencing."

A statement issued by his office

quoted him as saying "one of the

things that human rights experts

focused on is the social right, which

did not come at random. The process

of change also does not come at

random it is a journey of struggle and

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human sacrifice and bitter

experiences."

"The Iraqi citizen, in the successive

governments before and after the

occupation, sought the right to human

dignity and the hope of freedom, in

order to feel secure and he must get

what he wanted as a civilized human

being who refuses humiliation," he

added.

For his part, Al Sudani pointed out to

"the importance of giving an image of

the new Iraq based on the democratic

system and communication with

international organizations and bodies

that showed a great deal of assistance

to Iraq in many areas."

He said there are indications that the

human rights situation in Iraq is much

better than it was in the past,

according to the statement.

http://www.ninanews.com/english/Ne

ws_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FHDDMD

Maliki demands that media take its

role as fourth authority through

democratic mechanisms

Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki

demanded that media takes its role as

the fourth authority through

democratic mechanisms.

Maliki said in a speech, recited on his

behalf by the government spokesman,

Ali Al Dabbagh, at the national zone

conference organized by the

Communications and Media

Commission today, "we want the

media to take its role as the fourth

authority through democratic

mechanisms under the auspices of an

independent body that deals

professionally and impartially to

promote our country that we want it

to be precious."

He stressed the need to organize the

work of independent media, saying

"this matter requires us to talk to get

to an equation that reserves the

Sayfa 12

independence and strength of

independent media and its free role,

and to prevent harm to it by the

parties that want to harm this

experiment, or the yellow media that

wants to violation of the codes of

honor."

He proposed that “CMC adopts this

issue as it is an independent entity and

is specialized in media and in

collaboration with the parliamentary

Media Committee, and the Journalists

Syndicate and civil society

organizations to come out with a

reference equation that we resort to.”

http://www.ninanews.com/english/Ne

ws_Details.asp?ar95_VQ=FHDDKI

Watching with concern Maliki's gov't

repression - Kurdish Intellectuals

Kurdish intellectuals expressed their

concern, today, over what they

described as "the impatience of

Premier's Nouri al-Maliki's government

and its repressive organs against the

protesters all over Iraq."

In a statement, as received by Aswat

al-Iraq, which included 113 signatories

from amongst Kurdish intellectuals,

they expressed their "denunciation for

repressive measures committed

against the demonstrators, preventing

media organs from transmitting the

events, and threatening and detaining

the workers in the cultural fields as

well as civil activists."

The statement criticized Maliki for not

fulfilling his promises in the 100-day

period.

It rejected the thought of making the

tribal Sheikhs clash with the

demonstrators.

On 10 June instant, clashes occurred

between the demonstrators and pro-

government tribal elements who

demanded the execution of the killers

of Dijail wedding massacre, which

happened in 2006.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.as

px?page=article_page&id=143312&l=1

Sayfa 13

Iraqi-Iranian border demarcation in

process

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiar Zebari

declared that the Iraqi and Iranian

sides made "notable progress" in

demarcation of land and water

borders, as reported by Mehr Iranian

news agency.

In a press conference in Tehran with

his Iranian counterpart Ali Akbar

Salehi, he added that the discussions

were "held on the principles believed

by both countries, away from political

wrangling."

He declared that the agreement to be

signed covered mutual taxes, customs

cooperation, and encouraging joint

investments, in addition to economic

and trade cooperation.

Salehi stated that Iraqi-Iranian

technical committees were able to

complete the majority of border marks

in the north.

He disclosed that the first Iranian vice-

president will soon visit Iraq to chair

the Iranian side in the bilateral Higher

Committee, who will be accompanied

by a number of heads of Iranian

companies.

http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.as

px?page=article_page&id=143310&l=1

Iraq’s Foreign Minister visits Iran on

Tuesday

Iraq’s Foreign Minister, Hoshiar Zibary,

is scheduled to visit the Islamic

Republic of Iran on Tuesday, to discuss

bilateral relations between the two

neighboring countries, the Foreign

Ministry’s electronic site reported.

“The Foreign Minister shall pay an

official visit to Tehran, accompanied by

a high-level Ministry delegation,

specialized in bilateral judicial and

consulate affairs, to carry out talks

with the Iranian side and discuss Iraq’s

relations with the Islamic Republic of

Iran,” the site stressed.

It added that Zibary would confer

during the visit with his Iranian

Counterpart, Ali Akbar Salihi and a

number of other officials.

Sayfa 14

http://en.aswataliraq.info/Default1.as

px?page=article_page&id=143300&l=1

İran Kürdistan’a Bomba Yağdırıyor

İran ordusu bugun sabah saat 10.00

sıralarında Kürdistan Bölgesi’nin sınır

bölgelerini top yağmuruna tuttu.

İran ordusu topçu birlikleri bugün

sabah saat 10.00 sıralarında Kürdistan

bölgesi’nin sınır bölgelerine yoğun bir

top atışı başlattı.

İran PJK’ı bahane ederek Kürdistan

bölgesi’nin sınır bölgelerini bombalıyor

ki bombalanan bölgeler çiftçiliğin

yoğun olduğu bir bölge ve bu ciddi bir

maddi hasara neden oluyor. İran

bugün Berdunaz,Pirelok ve Binari

Kodayan dolaylarını hedef yaptı.

http://www.peyamner.com/details.as

px?l=6&id=237704

2. IRAN / İRAN

İran ve Irak’tan ikili ve bölgesel

işbirliğine vurgu

İran ve Irak cumhurbaşkanları iki ülke

arasında çeşitli alanlarda ikili ve

bölgesel işbirliğine vurgu yaptı.

FHA- Irak Cumhurbaşkanı Celal

Talabani ile bir telefon görüşmesi

gerçekleştiren Cumhurbaşkanı

Ahmedinejad, Tahran ve Bağdat

arasında işbirliği ve ilişkilerin tüm

alanlarda derinleşmesi, iki milletin

çıkarlarına ve bölgede barış ve

güvenliğin yararına olacağını kaydetti.

Görüşmede Irak Cumhurbaşkanı

Talabani de ikili ilişkilerin gelişen

sürecinden duyduğu memnuniyeti dile

getirerek iki ülke arasındaki işbirliğinin

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gelişmesinin, iki millete ve bölgeye

değerli getirileri olacağını vurguladı.

http://turkish.farsnews.com/newstext.

aspx?nn=9003310630

Commander Stresses Iran's Upper-

Hand in Soft War

A senior commander of the Islamic

Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC)

underlined that the Islamic nature of

Iran's establishment has granted the

country an upper-hand in soft war

against enemies.

"Our soft war power is much more

than enemy's since Islam and our

beliefs are our backbone, and this

backbone is the strongest in the

world," Commander of IRGC's Sahib ul-

Amr Corps Salar Abnoush said,

addressing a meeting in Iran's

Northern city of Qazvin on Tuesday

evening.

He further pointed out that a good

knowledge and understanding of these

two assets enables all Iranian

commanders to lead and command

their forces efficiently.

In December, Iranian Intelligence

Minister Heidar Moslehi cautioned

that enemies are continuing their plots

against the Islamic Republic through

soft tactics and are spending billions of

dollars to overthrow the Islamic

establishment in Iran.

"During the last 25 years, as many as

80 institutions, foundations,

associations and companies

specialized in soft war against Iran

have been set up with two-billion-

dollar annual funds," Moslehi said at

the time.

"There are numerous like-minded

institutions and agencies inside and

outside of Iran, whose missions are

mainly focused on toppling the Islamic

establishment in the country," he

warned.

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He pointed to the complexity of soft

war against Iran, and stated, "The

enemies of the Islamic Republic have

always been involved in hatching long-

term plans over the past 19 years as

part a soft war against the Iranian

nation and in doing so they have

allocated more than $17.7 billion in

order to stage a coup against the

sacred establishment of the Islamic

Republic."

Supreme Leader of the Islamic

Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali

Khamenei had also on many occasions

warned about the enemies' soft-war

plots to undermine Iran's resolve

towards progress. In November 2009,

he underlined the necessity for proper

measures to repel enemy's soft war

against Iran.

"Today, the main priority of the

country is to confront (enemy's) soft

warfare which is aimed at creating

doubt, discord and pessimism among

the masses of the people," Ayatollah

Khamenei said, addressing a large and

fervent congregation of Basij

(volunteer) forces.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.

php?nn=9004010494

Iran, Russia Welcome Formation of

National Gov't in Lebanon

High-ranking Iranian and Russian

foreign ministry officials in a meeting

in Tehran underlined the importance

of establishment of security and

stability in the region, and welcomed

formation of the new national

government in Lebanon.

The issue was raised during a meeting

between special envoy of Russian

Foreign Minister and Director-General

of the Middle-East and North Africa

Department of the Russian Foreign

Ministry Sergei Vershinin and Iranian

Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad

Reza Raouf Sheybani on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Vershinin

reiterated that people of the region

have the right to determine their own

fate without interference of others,

and said that different groups'

dialogue with the government is the

only solution to the current crises, and

Sayfa 17

called for ceasing military operation in

all countries facing crises, including

Libya.

Sheybani, for his part, criticized the

dual behavior of the West with

developments in the Middle-East and

North Africa, and said the legitimate

demands raised by the people in the

region are in the direction of

independence and sovereignty of their

own countries.

http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.

php?nn=9004010487

Rusya Dışişleri Bakanı’nın özel

temsilcisi Şeybani ile görüştü

İran Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı ile

görüşen Rusya Dışişleri Bakan

Yardımcısı, Lavrov’un mesajını

kendisine teslim etti.

Mehr haber ajansı muhabirinin

bildirdiğine göre, Rusya Dışişleri Bakan

Yardımcısı Verşnin önceki gün İran

Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı Muhammed

Rıza Rauf Şeybani ile görüşerek

Dışişleri Bakanı Sergey Lavrov’un

mesajını kendisine iletti.

Bu görüşmede Ortadoğu bölgesinin

gelişmelerine işaret eden Verşnin,

yabancıların müdahelesi olmaksızın

bölge halkı kendi kaderini belirlemesi

gerektiğini söyleyerek, Libya’ya yönelik

askeri operasyonun durulmasını istedi.

Muhamed Rıza Şeybani ise bu

görüşmede batının çifte standart

tutumunu eleştirerek bölgenin ve

Kuzey Afrika’nın halkının talepleri

meşru olduğunu vurguladı.

İran Dışişleri Bakan Yardımcısı,

Lübnan’da milli devletinin

oluşumundan ve Filistin’de milli

uzlaşma çalışmalarından

memnuniyetini dile getirdi.

http://www.mehrnews.com/tr/newsd

etail.aspx?NewsID=1341343

Suudi Arabistan'ın çabaları sonuç

vermez

İslami şura meclisi dış siyaset ve ulusal

güvenlik komisyonu başkanı Alaeddin

Brucerdi, uluslar arası terörizmle

Sayfa 18

mücadele konferansının

düzenlenmesini önlemek amacıyla

Suudi Arabistan’ın yürüttüğü

çabalarının sonuç vermediğini söyledi.

İslami şura meclisi dış siyaset ve ulusal

güvenlik komisyonu başkanı Alaeddin

Brucerdi, İslami şura meclisi haber

ajansına verdiği demeçte, Suudi

Arabistan’ın, Tahran’da düzenlenecek

olan uluslar arası terörizmle mücadele

konferansının engellenmesi için yoğun

bir çaba yürüttüğünü belirterek,

konferans ülkeler tarafından sıcak

karşılanacak çünkü, terörizm, dünyanın

en önemli sorunlarından biridir dedi.

Suudi Arabistan’ın, Pakistan devlet

başkanından, Tahran’da düzenlenecek

olan uluslar arası terörizmle mücadele

konferansına katılmamasını istemesine

işaret eden, İslami şura meclisi dış

siyaset ve ulusal güvenlik komisyonu

başkanı Alaeddin Brucerdi, "İran İslam

cumhuriyeti, terörizmle mücadele

konusunda en ön safta yer almaktadır"

dedi.

Suudi Arabistan’ın “Terörizmle

mücadele konferansının” siyasi bir

manevra olduğu iddialarına da yanıt

veren Alaeddin Brucerdi, "İran,

muhtelif ülke liderlerini davet ederek,

Tahran konferansının düzenlenmesi

için , bütün imkanlarını kullanacak ve

konferansı düzenleyecektir" diye

konuştu.

Bilindiği gibi Tahran'da 25 ile 26

Haziran tarihlerinde uluslar arası

terörizmle mücadele konferansı

düzenlenecek.

http://www.mehrnews.com/tr/newsd

etail.aspx?NewsID=1341459

Nuclear chief invites Amano to visit

Iran’s nuclear sites

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran

Director Fereydoun Abbasi Davani has

said that he has invited IAEA Director

General Yukiya Amano to visit Iran’

nuclear facilities.

Abbasi Davani made the

announcement after a meeting with

Amano in Vienna on Tuesday on the

sidelines of a five-day Ministerial

Sayfa 19

Conference on Nuclear Safety, which

opened on June 20.

Abbasi Davani said that he invited

Amano “and his colleagues to come to

visit anywhere they like in all our

nuclear installations,” Reuters

reported.

He also said that he had held “very

good” and “transparent” talks with

Amano.

According to Reuters, Iran’s nuclear

chief said that the two sides pledged

to resolve problems through more

dialogue in future but did not give any

details on what was discussed.

“We don’t have a difference of view,”

he stated.

On January 15 and January 16, 2011,

diplomats from Egypt, Cuba, Syria,

Algeria, Venezuela, Oman, and the

Arab League visited the Natanz

enrichment facility and the Arak heavy

water reactor in response to Iran’s

invitation.

Some members of the UN Security

Council and the European Union had

also been invited but decided not to

send representatives.

The main bone of contention between

Tehran and the West is Iran’s uranium

enrichment program.

Iran says all its nuclear activities are

totally peaceful, and, as an IAEA

member and an NPT signatory, it has

the legal right to produce nuclear fuel

for its research reactors and nuclear

power plants.

http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsd

etail.aspx?NewsID=1341130

Salehi avoids impeachment through

Malekzadeh resignation

Iranian MPs decided to drop the

motion to impeach Foreign Minister Ali

Akbar Salehi after Salehi accepted the

resignation of the newly appointed

deputy foreign minister for

administrative and financial affairs,

Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh, on

Tuesday.

Sayfa 20

Salehi also appointed Behrouz

Kamalvandi, the deputy foreign

minister for the Americas, to the post.

On Sunday, lawmakers started a

campaign to impeach Salehi if he did

not dismiss Malekzadeh. MPs had

cited the appointment of Malekzadeh

as deputy foreign minister as the

reason for their decision to impeach

Salehi.

Some of the Majlis representatives

said Malekzadeh is allied with the

deviant current, which is associated

with Esfandiar Rahim Mashaii.

On Sunday, an impeachment motion,

signed by 33 MPs, was submitted to

the Majlis Presiding Board. However,

the situation changed when

Malekzadeh resigned.

Part of the impeachment proposal

read, “The appointment of

Mohammad Sharif Malekzadeh… as

deputy foreign minister for

administrative and financial affairs, will

jeopardize foreign interests of the

system due to his not very good

background.”

However, MP Hossein Sobhaninia of

the Majlis Presiding Board told the

Fars news agency that the lawmakers

who put forward the motion have not

yet requested the withdrawal of the

impeachment motion.

He added that if the MPs do not

announce the withdrawal of the

impeachment motion to the presiding

board over the next few days, the

foreign minister will be impeached.

MP Ahmad Tavakkoli and some other

MPs said Salehi himself should have

dismissed Malekzadeh before he

tendered his resignation.

http://www.mehrnews.com/en/newsd

etail.aspx?NewsID=1341143

Ahmedinejad: Bölge sorunları

yabancıların müdahalesi olmadan

çözümlenmeli

İran İslam Cumhuriyeti ve Cezayir

Cumhurbaşkanları, Libya ve Fil Dişi

Sahili gibi bölge ülkelerin sorunlarının

yabancı müdahalesi olmadan

çözümlenmesi gerektiğine işaret

Sayfa 21

ederek, bölge için hegemonya güçlerin

plan ve programlarının bağımsız

milletler tarafından kabul

görülmediğini belirttiler.

Cezayir Cumhurbaşkanı ile telefon

görüşmesi yapan Ahmedinejad,

Batılıların bölgede eski sömürgeci

imparatorlukları yeniden canlandırma

çabasında olduklarına işaret ederek

“Libya ve Fil Dişi Sahili gibi ülkelerin

sorunu yabancıların müdahalesi

olmadan çözümlenmeli” dedi.

İran’ın her zaman bölgedeki

kardeşlerin ve bağımsız milletlerin

yanında yer aldığına değinen

Cumhurbaşkanı “Batılı güçler bugün

internet sosyal ağı gibi araç gereçleri

bağımsız milletlere karşı kullanıyor. Bu

tür komplolara karşı deneyimleri olan

İslam Cumhuriyeti deneyimlerini

bağımsız milletlerle paylaşmaya hazır”

dedi.

Telefon görüşmesinde Cezayir

Cumhurbaşkanı da Libya ve Fil Dişi

Sahili meselelerle ilgili Afrika Birliği

toplantısına işaret ederek “hegemonya

güçlerin bölge için planladıkları

bağımsız milletler tarafından kabul

görmüyor ve bölge meselelerinde

yabancıların müdahalesine uygun yanıt

verilmeli” dedi.

http://www2.irna.ir/tr/news/view/line

-119/1106214783094657.htm

Pakistan, Tahran’ın terörle mücadele

konferansına cumhurbaşkanı

düzeyinde katılıyor

Pakistan’ın cumhurbaşkanlık

düzeyinde Tahran’da yapılması

beklenen uluslar arası terörle

mücadele konferansına katılacağı

belirtiliyor.

Sayfa 22

Konferans, “terörsüz bir dünya”

sloganıyla gelecek hafta Tahran’da 80

ülke temsilcisinin katılımıyla yapılacak.

Pakistan Cumhurbaşkanı Asıf Zerdari,

Petrol Bakanı Asım Hüseyin, İçişleri

Bakanı Rahman Melik ve Su ile Elektrik

Bakanı Kamer’in iki gün sürecek

konferansa katılacağı bildiriliyor.

http://www2.irna.ir/tr/news/view/line

-120/1106213799094818.htm

Camp Ashraf to be closed by year-

end: Zebari

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari

reiterated Baghdad’s position on

Tuesday that Camp Ashraf, where the

MKO members are held, should be

closed by the end of the year.

“Our position in this regard is clear.

Camp Ashraf will be closed by the end

of the current year,” Zabari said in a

joint press conference with Iranian

Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi.

He also said that his government has

proposed that a joint committee

would be established between Iran

and Iraq with the involvement of the

Red Cross to “decide about the fate of

people held in the camp”.

Attempt to free Iranian prisoners

Zebari also said the Iraqi government

will spare no effort to help free

Iranians being imprisoned in Iraq.

“In the past years, the Iraqi

government has released hundreds of

Iranian brothers, who were arrested

for illegally crossing the border or

staying in the country more than the

allowed time,” Zebari stated.

“We have always sought to resolve this

problem but there are rules and

regulations in Iraq which are

unfortunately violated (by some

Iranians),” he noted.

Iraq has granted pardons to or

commuted the sentences of many

Iranians out of humanitarian reasons

so far, he stated.

On facilities for Iranian pilgrims visiting

Iraq, Zebari said his government plans

to improve the current facilities,

noting that the number of Iranians

Sayfa 23

who come to Iraq on pilgrimage visits

has doubled.

Asked if the two countries should lift

visa requirements for their nationals,

he said, “It is not the right time”.

On dust pollutions that originate from

Iraq and once in a while cover large

swathes of Iran, Zebari said Iraqi cities

are suffering from the dust pollution

too, and that this is an environmental

pollution caused by bad climatic

conditions.

However, in order to solve the

problem it is essential to make

regional and international efforts, he

said, adding Saudi Arabia can play an

important role in this regard.

http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_V

iew.asp?code=242857

Iran parliament starts impeachment

proceedings against foreign minister,

ally of Ahmadinejad

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar

Salehi speaks during the second

International Conference on

Disarmament and Non-proliferation in

Tehran. (File Photo)

Iran’s parliament on Tuesday launched

impeachment procedures against

Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi for

appointing an aide to the president’s

underfire chief of staff as one of his

deputies.

The motion to impeach Mr. Salehi,

signed by 33 lawmakers, was officially

“read out in the parliament on

Tuesday by an MP in the presiding

board,” as required by the law, a

statement on the parliament Website

said.

Under the constitution, the signatures

of 10 MPs in the 290-seat majlis are

needed to start impeachment

procedures against an incumbent

minister. The move needs the approval

of parliament’s presiding board before

being sent for a vote.

Sayfa 24

The targeted minister has to appear

before parliament within 10 days to

defend his case and ask for vote of

confidence again.

The impeachment move comes after

Mr. Salehi on Saturday appointed

Mohammad Sahrif Malekzadeh as a

deputy foreign minister in charge of

administrative and financial affairs.

Mr. Malekzadeh was a top official in

the high council of Iranian affairs

abroad, run by President Mahmoud

Ahmadinejad’s chief of staff, Esfandiar

Rahim Mashaie, whom ultra-

conservatives accuse of aiming to

undermine the Islamic regime.

Ultra-conservatives, the Shiite clergy

and the elite Revolutionary Guards

have repeatedly called for Mr.

Mashaie’s dismissal, accusing him of

leading “a current of deviation” and of

exerting too much influence over the

president.

President Ahmadinejad has so far

adamantly defended his aides,

including Mr. Mashaie.

A number of influential deputies in the

conservative-dominated parliament

reacted to Mr. Salehi’s appointment

on Sunday by calling for his

impeachment unless he sacks Mr.

Malekzadeh.

In the impeachment notice, the

deputies said that Mr. Malekzadeh’s

appointment was against national

interests.

“Such an appointment jeopardises the

nation’s interests ... This person is on

the verge of being arrested as (the

judiciary) is investigating him over

financial and non-financial cases,” the

notice said.

Influential MP Ahmad Tavakoli was

quoted by the Iranian media on

Monday as saying that the minister of

intelligence had “told Salehi in writing

that he is opposed to the appointment

of Malekzadeh to the post of deputy

foreign minister.”

According to lawmakers in

parliament’s commission of national

security and foreign policy, Mr. Salehi

has given an undertaking that if he

Sayfa 25

finds Mr. Malekzadeh has a criminal

charges pending against him, he will

be sacked.

On Tuesday, the vice-president in

charge of parliamentary affairs,

Mohammad Reza Mirtajeddini, was

quoted on parliament’s Website as

saying that “there is the possibility of

resolving the issue.”

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/20

11/06/21/154179.html

3. ISRAEL - PALESTINE / İSRAİL –

FİLİSTİN

Senior Israeli source: Iran actively

helping Syria squash demonstrations

Not only is Iran supplying equipment

to the Syrian army, the source says,

Iran's Revolutionary Guard also

organized demonstrations against

Israel on Nakba and Naksa Day.

A senior Israeli source says Iran is

involved in the suppressing of the anti-

regime demonstrations in Syria. Iran's

Revolutionary Guard and the Al-Quds

force, commanded by Gen. Qassem

Suleimani, are operating throughout

the country, the source says.

The source told Haaretz there is clear

information on Iran's involvement in

the crushing of the protests, as well as

the participation of Hezbollah. Their

role is not limited to shootings; Iran

has also supplied equipment to the

Syrian army, including sniper rifles and

communications systems for

disrupting the Internet in the country,

the source said.

Syrian residents and media reports say

men in military uniforms have been

heard speaking poor Arabic or Farsi

among themselves.

"In the Syrian army there is a ban on

beards, so when we see military

people with beards we can assume

they're not part of the regular Syrian

army," the source said.

Iran's involvement reached a new

zenith, the source said, when the

Revolutionary Guard organized the

demonstrations against Israel on the

Golan Heights as part of the events on

Sayfa 26

Nakba Day on May 15 and Naksa Day

on June 5.

"Initial reports about the presence of

Iranians in the suppression of the

demonstrations were from the town of

Daraa, where the mass

demonstrations began. However, since

then it is possible to see Iran's

presence in many other places," the

source said.

"During the Palestinian memorial days,

the Revolutionary Guard organized the

busing that was required to transfer

the demonstrators to the border. The

initiative was not Syrian. However, the

Syrian army approved the transfer of

the buses to the border. On Nakba Day

they [the Iranians] were also involved

in the demonstrations in Lebanon,

something that was not backed by

Hezbollah and was opposed by the

Lebanese Army. This is the reason why

in Lebanon there were not

confrontations and demonstrations on

Naksa Day," the source said.

On Naksa Day, the Revolutionary

Guard rallied Ahmed Jibril's Popular

Front for the Liberation of Palestine -

General Command to send hundreds

of demonstrators to the border.

"The background to the riots that

broke out in the Yarmuk refugee camp

the day after the demonstrations on

the Golan Heights was largely the

failure to pay the money that had

been promised to the participants:

$1,000 for each participant and

$10,000 for anyone who became a

'martyr' - killed in the

demonstrations," the source said.

"The families of those killed were

furious with Ahmed Jibril, whom they

blamed for dragging their children to a

confrontation with the Israelis.

Hundreds took part in the

demonstration because they had not

been paid. Jibril's security guards

feared that he would be harmed, and

they opened fire, killing 14 residents of

the camp. At the time there were

senior Hamas figures in the camp."

The senior Israeli source said the

likelihood of similar demonstrations on

the Israel-Syria border in the near

Sayfa 27

future is low. He agreed with Defense

Minister Ehud Barak's assessment in

an interview with Haaretz two weeks

ago: The process that will end the

Assad regime is irreversible.

"His regime's legitimacy is lost. The

harder he strikes, the more people

take to the streets," the source said.

He added that "in the end certain

senior officers in the Syrian army -

Sunnis - will reach an agreement with

senior Alawi officers, providing

sufficient security guarantees for the

Alawi community. They will find a

political solution that will extricate the

country from the crisis and remove

President Bashar Assad from power."

However, desertions from the Syrian

army have so far been limited to the

lower ranks - below battalion

commanders. The senior source says

there is a certain amount of

resentment in the army because

regular forces and "military security"

forces have been used to suppress

demonstrations.

He added that at Jisr al-Shoughour a

"military security" force was sent to

deal with the demonstrations but ran

into an ambush, and 120 soldiers were

killed.

"There are weapons in many places in

Syria, as in all parts of the Middle East,

and so far many soldiers and members

of the security forces have been hit by

gunfire fired by armed supporters of

the opposition," the source added.

Meanwhile, as confrontations

between demonstrators and the

military continued in Syria yesterday,

Assad announced yet another amnesty

for everyone arrested in the protests.

A pro-Assad demonstration took place

in Damascus, but Arab media outlets

noted that the participants had been

forced to attend, sometimes by labor

unions.

Sayfa 28

http://www.haaretz.com/print-

edition/news/senior-israeli-source-

iran-actively-helping-syria-squash-

demonstrations-1.368971

Israel approves transfer of $100

million of building goods into Gaza

UNRWA will bring material for building

1,200 houses and 18 schools into Gaza

Strip following 'immediate' approval

from Israel; UN Middle East envoy

welcomes 'this significant step.'

Israel has approved the building of

$100 million worth of new houses and

schools in the Gaza Strip, Israeli and

UN officials said on Tuesday.

Guy Inbar, a military spokesman, said

Israel had given the United Nations

Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) the

green light to bring building materials

for 18 new schools and 1,200 new

houses into the Hamas-controlled

territory.

He said the approval was immediate

and the process could begin as soon as

UNRWA was ready.

"I welcome this significant step and I

hope it will happen in a timely

fashion," said UN Middle East envoy

Robert Serry. Israel says its Gaza

blockade, which prevents certain

supplies from entering the Strip, stops

weapons from reaching Hamas, a

militant group that refuses to

recognize Israel's right to exist and

frequently fires cross-border rockets.

Israel, together with Egypt, tightened a

blockade on the Gaza Strip after

Hamas Islamists seized it from forces

loyal to Western-backed Palestinian

President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007.

Israel has made clear it will prevent a

planned pro-Palestinian aid flotilla

from reaching Gaza. A year ago, nine

Turkish activists, including one with

dual U.S.-Turkish nationality, died in an

Israeli raid on a similar convoy.

Sayfa 29

Israel, calling the new flotilla a

provocation, has stepped up

diplomatic efforts to block it.

Organizers say the sea convoy, which

they hope will set sail this month, will

carry humanitarian aid and

construction materials.

One foreign diplomat, speaking

anonymously, suggested that

Tuesday's approval for UNRWA to

deliver housing materials

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplo

macy-defense/israel-approves-

transfer-of-100-million-of-building-

goods-into-gaza-1.368958

Fayyad to stay on as Palestinian prime

minister

Salam Fayyad dismissed allegations of

his plans to resign, says he is 'proud'

that he is public's favorite for the

prime minister post.

Salam Fayyad on Tuesday dismissed

reports that he was thinking of

stepping down as Palestinian prime

minister after the Islamist Hamas

movement rejected him as a candidate

to run the new government.

The Fatah movement of President

Mahmoud Abbas had insisted on

Fayyad staying as prime minister.

Abbas told a Lebanese television

station on Monday that since he would

name the new government, his only

choice would be Fayyad, regardless of

Hamas's position.

The move caused concern that the

national reconciliation agreement that

Fatah and Hamas concluded on May 4,

and which was supposed to result in a

government of consensus, may not

work because of strong differences

over Fayyad.

"The official and public reaction made

me proud," Fayyad said of news that

he was the public's favorite for the

post of prime minister.

Sayfa 30

"I was pleased by it because I saw in it

an approval of an approach and a

strategy for the next stage," he said.

He said Palestinians should approach a

planned United Nations resolution

calling for an independent Palestinian

state in September united, since no

one would accept a Palestinian state

as long as the Fatah-ruled West Bank

remains divided from the Hamas-ruled

Gaza Strip.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplo

macy-defense/fayyad-to-stay-on-as-

palestinian-prime-minister-1.368953

Netanyahu to Erdogan: Israel and

Turkey should renew spirit of

friendship

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

sends letter to Turkey's Erdogan urging

normalization of ties between the two

countries; Communication comes in

the wake of secret talks between Israel

and Turkey.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

sent a personal letter to Turkish Prime

Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

congratulating him on his victory in the

Turkish elections last week, and

expressing his wish to heal the

diplomatic rift between Turkey and

Israel.

The letter was sent a few days ago,

after much deliberation, according to a

senior official in Jerusalem, with

approval from the prime minister's

office. Parts of the letter were

published on the website of Turkish

newspaper Zaman in an article on the

secret contacts between Israel and

Turkey.

In the letter, Netanyhu said he wanted

to normalize relations with Turkey,

and emphasized the good relations the

two countries have had in the past.

"My government will be happy to work

with the new Turkish government on

finding a resolution to all outstanding

Sayfa 31

issues between our countries, in the

hope of re-establishing our

cooperation and renewing the spirit of

friendship which has characterized the

relations between our peoples for

many generations," the letter said.

This morning Haaretz revealed that

Netanyahu and Erdogan's offices have

been holding secret talks in an attempt

to heal the rift between Turkey and

Israel, with the Americans' support.

A source in the Turkish Foreign

Ministry and a U.S. official confirmed

that talks are being held, though in

Israel the prime minister and foreign

minister's aides declined to comment.

The talks are being held between an

Israeli official on behalf of Prime

Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and

Turkish Foreign Ministry

Undersecretary Feridun Sinirlioglu, a

firm supporter of rehabilitating ties

with Israel.

Talks are also being held between the

Israeli representative on the UN

inquiry committee on last year's Gaza

flotilla, Yosef Ciechanover, and

Turkey's representative on the

committee, Ozdem Sanberk. The two,

who have been working together for

several months on the UN committee,

pass on messages between Israel and

Turkey and have taken pains to draft

understandings to end the crisis.

In addition, the U.S. administration has

held talks with senior Turkish officials,

mainly to foil the flotilla to Gaza due

later this month, but also in a bid to

improve relations with Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplo

macy-defense/netanyahu-to-erdogan-

israel-and-turkey-should-renew-spirit-

of-friendship-1.368932

IAF strikes Gaza tunnel

Attack on smuggling tunnel follows

rocket fire on southern Israel; hit on

target confirmed

Sayfa 32

IAF fighter jets struck a Gaza smuggling

tunnel overnight, following the rocket

fire on southern Israel, Tuesday

evening.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that

the target was a passageway through

which terrorists were smuggled into

Israel.

The IAF reported hitting its target. No

casualties were reported by the

Palestinians.

A Qassam rocket exploded Tuesday in

an open area at the Eshkol Regional

Council, just a half an hour after a

mortar shell hit the same area. No

injuries or damage were reported.

The rocket attacks were the first since

Thursday, when a Qassam exploded in

an open area, once again in Eshkol

Regional Council.

Head of the Eshkol Council Haim Yalin

lamented the breaking of the long

calm that had graced the area since

April.

"Today this calm was shattered for the

second time, and this does not

surprise us. What is surprising is the

month and a half of peace we had,"

Yalin said on Thursday.

"Qassam fire is unsurprising because

we know who lives opposite us on the

other side (of the border)."

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,

7340,L-4085467,00.html

US citizens head to Greece to join

Gaza-bound flotilla

Thirty six US citizens to sail on US-

flagged boat named 'The Audacity of

Hope'; ship will have no humanitarian

aid on board.

Sayfa 33

A group of US citizens have left for

Athens to join a flotilla of ships

planning to challenge Israel's naval

blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The 36 participants from the US, as

well as four crew members and nine

journalists, are planning to sail on the

US-flagged boat The Audacity of Hope

in the 10-ship flotilla. One-quarter of

the US participants reportedly are

Jewish. The ship will have no

humanitarian aid or other cargo on

board, according to reports.

"It's important that Jews are in this

boat," New York labor attorney

Richard Levy told AFP. "The Jewish

lobby in this country is so powerful."

Nine Turkish activists aboard a flotilla

last year were killed during clashes

with Israeli Navy commandos trying to

stop the ship, called the Mavi

Marmara. IHH, the Turkish Islamic

charity behind the flotilla effort,

withdrew the Mavi Marmara from this

year's flotilla citing technical reasons.

In preparation for the event, Israel

Navy held a large-scale exercise to

prepare its forces for the operation to

stop the flotilla.

The exercise involved naval

commandos from Flotilla 13 - better

known as the Shayetet - as well as

other naval units and special forces

from throughout the defense

establishment, who were being

included in the operation as part of the

lessons learned from the botched raid

on the Mavi Marmara last May.

The Israeli navy is under orders from

the government to enforce the Israeli

sea blockade over Gaza, which officials

have said is crucial for preventing the

flow of arms to Hamas in the Gaza

Strip.

http://www.jpost.com/International/A

rticle.aspx?id=226043

Sayfa 34

Netanyahu sends congratulatory

letter to Erdogan

Gesture on Turkish PM’s reelection

seen as effort to reach out to Ankara

to repair severely damaged

relationship by last year’s flotilla raid.

In the latest in a series of baby steps

Israel and Turkey are taking toward

one another in efforts to repair the

relationship severely damaged by last

year’s Mavi Marmara raid, it was

revealed Tuesday that Prime Minister

Binyamin Netanyahu sent a

congratulatory letter to his Turkish

counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,

after his reelection victory 10 days

ago.

“My government will be happy to work

with the new Turkish government on

finding a resolution to all outstanding

issues between our countries, in the

hope of reestablishing our cooperation

and renewing the spirit of friendship

which has characterized the relations

between our peoples for many

generations,” Netanyahu wrote,

according to a report on the Turkish

Today’s Zaman website on Tuesday.

Israel readies for Gaza flotilla despite

IHH withdrawal

Turkey's elections: A Kurdish delight

Analysis: How one man helped

transform Turkey into a society

Israeli government officials confirmed

that Netanyahu sent a letter to

Erdogan following the Turkish leader’s

third straight election victory, adding

that this was standard practice in

relations between countries. They did

not, however, discuss the letter’s

content.

The officials also neither confirmed or

denied reports that there were

currently secret direct talks between

the countries aimed at reestablishing

normal relations.

Sayfa 35

Turkey recalled its ambassador

immediately after the Mavi Marmara

incident last year, and has said it will

only send an envoy back to Tel Aviv

after Israel apologizes for the death of

nine Turkish men on the ship trying to

break the blockade of the Gaza Strip,

and pays compensation to the families

of those killed.

Israel has indicated in the past that it

would be willing to express “regret” at

the loss of life, but not apologize. It

has also hinted that the compensation

issue would not stand in the way of an

agreement, as long as the

compensation ended all legal claims

against it.

Last week, during a trip to Rome,

Netanyahu said at a press conference

that he was interested in repairing ties

with Ankara.

“We did not choose, in any way, a

deterioration in ties with Turkey. We

are always hoping to fix what has been

damaged, and to stop the

deterioration and place the ties back

on a positive track.”

Netanyahu said there was no reason

for continued tense ties, and that

Israel would be happy at any

opportunity to improve the situation.

He welcomed assistance from any

state and leader who wanted to help

toward that end.

The US has reportedly been working

intensively behind the scenes trying to

patch up the relationship. US President

Barack Obama has spoken twice with

Erdogan since the latter’s election

victory, and it is widely believed that

one of the issues they discussed was

the Ankara-Jerusalem relationship.

Government sources have said that

Israel’s position was that it regretted

the deterioration in relations with

Turkey, and that a positive bilateral

relationship between Jerusalem and

Ankara served both countries.

One government official said Israel

hoped it would be possible to “turn

this thing around,” and “create

positive momentum in the

relationship.”

Sayfa 36

The source did not say, however,

whether Israel was considering any

other gestures at this time toward the

Turks.

Government officials said that for the

most part, Turkey’s senior leadership

has abandoned its stridently anti-Israel

rhetoric since the elections. They also

noted positively that Turkish Foreign

Minister Ahmet Davutoglu called on

the Hamas-linked Humanitarian Relief

Foundation (IHH) to reconsider

participation in the planned upcoming

flotilla to Gaza, and that the

organization – and its flagship, the

Mavi Marmara – had indeed dropped

out of the event, something welcomed

in Jerusalem as a “positive signal” of

the Turkish government’s intentions.

According to one school of thought in

Jerusalem, the crisis in Syria that has

sent thousands of refugees across that

country’s border into Turkey – and has

led to a strain in Turkish-Syrian ties

that under Erdogan were getting

extremely close – was one of the

reasons Turkey was more keen now

than a couple of months ago on

improving relations with Israel; or at

least keen on greatly reducing the

level of friction.

http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAnd

Politics/Article.aspx?id=225968

4. AFRICA AND EGYPT / AFRİKA VE

MISIR

" FJP Begins Coordinating With Other

Parties Ahead of Elections"

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)

hosted, on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, the

second coordination meeting with the

political parties and forces of Egypt at

1 pm at the party's headquarters in Al-

Akhchid Street.

The Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)

hosted, on Tuesday, June 21, 2011, the

second coordination meeting with the

political parties and forces of Egypt at

1 pm at the party's headquarters in Al-

Akhchid Street.

The discussions in the meeting

continued and developed the previous

consultations on coordination of the

Sayfa 37

elections and the drafting of the law of

the People's Assembly. The document

of "The National Alliance for Egypt"

was also discussed.

In fact, these are the themes that the

Coalition of Political Parties and forces

began to discuss during its meeting on

Tuesday at Al-Wafd Party

headquarters.

Al-Wafd Party called for the first

meeting which brought together heads

and representatives of the parties: Al-

Wafd, Freedom and Justice, Al-

Tagammou,The Nasserist Party, Al-

Amal, Al-Wasat, Al-Adl, Al-Nour, Al-

Karama, Al-Ghad,Al-Tawheed Al-Arabi,

Egypt Freedom and the National

Assembly for Change.

Attendees at the meeting agreed to

invite all parties and political forces

(who were not represented at the

meeting) to join the coalition, as well

as form a committee to finalize the

drafting of the law of the

parliamentary elections, and another

committee to study the elections'

coordination plans; so as to set rules,

standards and objectives and the level

of coordination in the coming

parliamentary elections, and also to

form a third commission to receive the

notes and remarks on the document of

"The National Alliance for Egypt."

However, Osama al-Ghazali Harb and

Naguib Sawiris attacked and bitterly

criticized Al-Wafd Party for its

participation in the meetings of the

coalition.

http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.p

hp?id=28748

State Council: Constitution First is

Illegitimate

A statement by Chancellor Dr.

Mohamed Ahmed Attia, First Vice

President of the Administrative Court

and head of the main assembly of

Fatwa and Legislation rejected calls by

several national organizations to push

Sayfa 38

forward constitutional amendments

prior to elections.

A statement by Chancellor Dr.

Mohamed Ahmed Attia, First Vice

President of the Administrative Court

and head of the main assembly of

Fatwa and Legislation rejected calls by

several national organizations to push

forward constitutional amendments

prior to elections.

According to Attia, the provisions of

Article 60 of the constitution stipulate

that those nominated for the People

Assembly and the Shura Council

should assemble in a joint meeting

with SCAF during the 6 months of their

election. Attia added, the meeting will

then conduct an election which will

choose a constituent assembly of 100

members to set up a draft for a new

constitution within six months from

the date of its establishment.

Speaking to Ikhwanweb, Attia stated

that there is no way to ignore the

results of the referendum held last

March. He asserted that Article 60 of

the constitution is the same as Article

189 and no body, including the SCAF,

will be able to amend these articles

except through another referendum.

http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.p

hp?id=28741

Defying leadership, Brotherhood

youth form new party

A group of young Muslim Brotherhood

members announced the formation of

their own political party on Tuesday,

separate from the Brotherhood’s

recently created Freedom and Justice

Party, in a defiant act that is expected

to deepen the generational rift within

the 83-year-old organization.

The party “stresses the main Egyptian

current that the great majority of

Egyptians belong to. The party is

Sayfa 39

distinguished by its civil and

democratic nature. It takes pride in its

idenity. It is open to the other. Morals,

values and religious principles play a

role in regulating its perfomance,”

read a statement posted by one of the

founders on Facebook.

Unlike most other Islamist parties, the

manifesto of Hizb Al-Tayyar Al-Masry

(meaning Egyptian Current Party) does

not mention Islamic sharia as its frame

of reference; it only refers to the Arab

Islamic civilization. “We cannot refer

to the Islamic sharia because this is not

an Islamist party, and it is not a party

for the Muslim Brotherhood youth,”

said Mohamed Shams, a 24-year-old

co-founder of the party. “Not all

founders belong to the Muslim

Brotherhood.”

The statement also envisions a larger

role for young people. “We want the

party to express the spirit of the

revolution, which means we want

most of its leaders to be young,” said

Mohamed Affan, a 30-year-old brother

and a co-founder of the party.

Affan is one of many young Muslim

Brothers who have become outspoken

recently in their criticism of the

group’s leadership. They have, on

several occasions, expressed

disenchantment with their

generation’s marginalization inside the

Brotherhood’s highest power

structures.

They have also expressed vehement

opposition to the group’s official party,

arguing that it failed to ensure a full

separation between the Muslim

Brotherhood’s proselytizing and

political activities.

Speaking last month to Al-Masry Al-

Youm, Affan said: “The feuds between

the youth and the group’s leadership

have almost reached a deadlock. Now

we are thinking of creating some

independent entity of our own.”

At least 150 founders, mostly from the

Muslim Brotherhood youth, stand

behind this would-be party, said Affan.

As to the rest, they have different

backgrounds.

Sayfa 40

According to Mahmound Hussein, the

secretary general of the Muslim

Brotherhood, the group’s leadership

was aware of this move two weeks

ago. He said that the young members

involved will be questioned by their

immediate leaders for violating the

group’s policies.

“ The group had decided that no

member can join any party [other than

the group’s official one],” he said,

downplaying the notion that those

involved might have influence on

other young Brothers, arguing that

they represent a small minority of the

group's young membership.

The questioning of those involved

might be a prelude to their dismissal

from the group.

“ Nobody can strip me of my

membership of the Muslim

Brotherhood,” said Sameh al-Barqy, a

37-year-old Brother. ”I have been part

of the group for 19 years and I hope

I'm still a Brother when I die."

To its members, the Muslim

Brotherhood is not just a political

entity. The group serves almost as a

parallel society through which

members identify themselves. They

grow up, make friends, get married

and find jobs in a Muslim Brotherhood

environment, according to experts.

Hence, severing ties with the group is a

tough challenge.

Barky added that there is no way he

could join the group’s Freedom and

Justice Party, which was officially

recognized in May.

“With due respect to the Freedom

and Justice Party, it does not satisfy

me and does not meet my ambitions,”

said Barqy, citing the party’s lack of

independence.

The Muslim Brotherhood has said

repeatedly that the Freedom and

Justice Party would be fully

independent from the group’s other

bodies. However, many critics have

rejected this claim, especially since the

group’s Shura Council selected the

party’s president, vice-president and

secretary general and decided on the

maximum number of seats the party

Sayfa 41

would run for in the upcoming

parliamentary poll.

“How could it be an independent

party if it cannot nominate its

parliamentary candidates or specify

the number of seats it will run for?”

Barqy said.

In the meantime, Barqy denies that

the launch of the new party is a

reaction to the group’s practices. “We

have been working on it for the last

two months. We felt there was a need

in society for such a party,” he said,

adding that not all founders belong to

the Muslim Brotherhood.

In the meantime, these young islamists

remain cautious not to sever their ties

with their leaders.

“ We respect the group and its

leaders. Our disagreement does not

undermine this respect. We hope [the

group] will show understanding of this

initiative,” said Affan.

The announcement of the creation of

the Egyptian Current Party came two

days after the group’s Shura Council

expelled prominent reformist leader

Moneim Abouel Fotouh for declaring

that he would run for president.

Although he said that he would run as

an independent, the group viewed his

announcement as a defiance of its

decision not to field any presidential

candidates.

His expulsion was resented by many

young Brothers, including many of

those involved in founding the

Egyptian Current Party.

According to Diaa Rashwan, an expert

with Al-Ahram Center for Political and

Strategic Studies, such a split comes as

no surprise.

“I personally expected this split from

day one of the revolution,” said

Rashwan. “A lot of parties are

expected to come out of the Islamic

Sayfa 42

movement in general and the Muslim

Brotherhood in particular.”

“ Before a revolution, political

movements are usually contained

because of pressures from the regime,

but when the transition to democracy

starts, these pressures fade away,” he

said.

Eventually, members who hold

divergent views begin to form their

own entities, he added.

Experts hold that the Muslim

Brotherhood has been an umbrella for

divergent schools of thought, ranging

from Salafi fundamentalism to liberal

Islamism. But as threats of a

systematic crackdown – which had

long forced the group to sideline

conflicting ideological differences in

the name of cohesion – continue to

diminish, internal disputes have come

to the fore.

The Egyptian Current Party is the

second rebellious party to emanate

from the Muslim Brotherhood. In

March, Ibrahim al-Zaafarani, a former

member of the Shura Council, resigned

from the group and announced the

formation of the Renaissance Party.

For Rashwan, more parties are yet to

arise from this colossal organization.

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/n

ode/470366

European Parliament slams Amr

Moussa for his close ties to Mubarak

Members of the European Parliament

and the Egyptian community in

Brussels have criticized presidential

candidate Amr Moussa for his close

ties to former President Hosni

Mubarak, suggesting that Moussa's

failure to challenge the ousted

president raises questions over his

fitness for office.

The critical remarks were made in the

European Parliament during Moussa's

Sayfa 43

trip to Belgium as part of his European

campaign to win the votes from

expatriate Egyptians.

After Moussa’s speech in parliament,

Isabelle Durant, representative of the

Green Party, said that he supported

Mubarak for ten years when he was

minister of foreign affairs, and that he

rejected running in the presidential

elections when Mubarak was still in

power.

For his part, Rudolph Kareh, an

observer in the parliament, said that

Moussa failed to achieve reform in the

Arab world when he was secretary

general of the Arab League, and

wondered what he would achieve if he

became president of Egypt.

Female activist Gamila Ismail, the only

Egyptian that was allowed to speak in

the session, wondered if Moussa’s

charisma would feed 88 million

Egyptians and create jobs for six

million.

“I was not working for Mubarak when I

was minister of foreign affairs. I was

serving my country,” Moussa said,

adding that Mubarak started to dislike

him when he gained popularity among

Egyptians.

“And I did not want to run in the

elections because the constitution at

that time only allowed Mubarak or his

son to run,” he explained

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/n

ode/470330

Tuesday’s papers: Al-Azhar backs a

civil state and ElBaradei’s on top

The grand sheikh of Al-Azhar, Ahmed

al-Tayyeb, released a document

yesterday that tried to shed light on

Egypt's largest Islamic institution’s

understanding of what it would mean

to have Islam as a main source of

legislation in the Constitution.

One of the main issues on the political

scene is whether Egypt should have a

religious constitution or a civil one and

whether they’re mutually exclusive.

According to Tayyeb, they are not.

Sayfa 44

As is the case with many questions

regarding the role of religion in civil

life, this issue was often open to

controversy. The Egyptian

government’s flagship paper, Al-

Ahram, therefore describes the

document as “historic.”

The document states that Islamic

jurisprudence does not denote the

need for a “priestly state” that

enforces religious practice, and that

the concept of “Shura,” a religious

term, indicates pluralism. According to

Al-Ahram, the document also states

that the nation would resort to Islam

for supporting a democratic and

constitutional nation based on free

elections and equal representation.

Independent daily Al-Shorouk calls the

document “revolutionary.” Tayyeb said

that the parliament would be the only

legislative authority. The rest of the

document talked about respecting

women, children, freedom of speech,

the practices and values of Egyptian

society, and all religions.

According to Al-Shorouk, the

document’s long list of signatories

contains the names of many Islamic,

political, literary and intellectual

figures, including Coptic thinkers and

activists.

State-run daily Al-Akhbar quotes

Tayyeb as saying that Islamic principles

would remain the main source for

legislation and that members of other

religions should be guaranteed the

right to resort to their own religious

authorities for administering their

personal affairs if they choose.

Al-Wafd’s party paper ran the

headline, “Al-Azhar clings to the civil

state.”

The Supreme Council of the Armed

Forces (SCAF) conducted a Facebook

poll of presidential candidates.

ElBaradei came in first with 37

percent, followed by newly announced

Mohamed Selim al-Awa, with 19

percent. Ahmed Shafiq, Amr Moussa,

Hesham el-Bastawisi and Omar

Suleiman followed. Others, such as

political/sports sideshow figure

Sayfa 45

Mortada Mansour, received support of

0 percent, according to Al-Shorouk.

Political pundit Amr Hashem Rabei

told Al-Shorouk that the SCAF was

prematurely polling for the

presidential election and should have

focused the poll on whether the

constitution should be drafted before

or after parliamentary elections.

Most papers address the debate of

when the constitution should be

written, after Prime Minister Essam

Sharaf made a statement regarding his

preference for drafting the

constitution first. Both Al-Wafd and

the independent paper Al-Dostour ran

prominent op-eds criticizing the call, as

well as Sharaf’s statement. It is worth

noting that both papers are owned by

Wafd Party or its allies.

Al-Wafd also ran a story on a campaign

called “The Constitution First” by the

Free Front for Peaceful Change, which

reportedly gathered a million

signatures in support of the cause.

Al-Ahram says the call for a

constitution first is causing a rift

between revolutionary forces,

especially after groups like “We Are All

Khaled Saeed” and the April 6 Youth

Movement decided the constitutional

issue would be the main topic of the

“Third Friday of Anger” planned for 8

July.

In an interview with Al-Akhbar,

presidential candidate Mohamed

ElBaradei said that “the constitutional

declaration is not sacred… and I

request setting the constitution first.”

Hussein Salem, aka Friend of Israel (Al-

Dostour), aka the Spanish Man (Al-

Ahram), aka The Fugitive (Al-Wafd), is

back in the newspapers again. Al-Wafd

says that he is not included in a list of

businessmen whose Swiss accounts

Egypt requested to have frozen.

Sayfa 46

Al-Dostour claims that his detainment

in Spain and the question of his

extradition to Egypt is more of a

political matter than a judicial one. Al-

Ahram says it is likely he would be

extradited to Egypt soon.

Underground metro lovers can rejoice

in the fact that the first stage of the

third metro line between Attaba and

Abbasseya is set to open by January

2012, according to Al-Shorouk, in

order to coincide with the anniversary

of the 25 January uprising. The wheels

are in motion, quite literally, as the

transportation minister took a tour on

a small monorail to oversee the work

now being done on the line.

Egypt's papers:

Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest

distribution in Egypt

Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to

Al-Ahram in institutional size

Al-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run

Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run

Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned

Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned

Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal

Wafd Party

Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the

Arab Nasserist party

Youm7: Weekly, privately owned

http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/n

ode/470079

Moussa: Christians are not a minority

in Egypt

Egypt's Coptic Christians are not a

minority but are Egyptian citizens said

Amr Moussa the Secretary General of

the Arab League and potential

presidential candidate.

Sayfa 47

He said during a conference held at

the EU parliament that he perceives

Egyptians without any discrimination.

The constitution will support the

citizenship of and equality amongst all

citizens he added Moussa said the next

Egyptian president should lead the

country according to the constitution

http://news.egypt.com/english/perma

link/14518.html

Al Bashir: Halayeb to Bridge Strong

Ties with Egypt

Sudan's President Omer Al Bashir said

that an agreement over the disputed

Halayeb, will be reached soon, adding

that the region will never affect

bilateral relations but will rather serve

as a bridge of communication and

understanding between the people of

the two countries.

This is to ensure an exchange of

benefits and experiences in different

fields.

Speaking to Halayeb citizens at Osaif-

Red Sea State, he said Sudan is soon to

expand the range of its commercial

exchange with Egypt, indicating that

he had informed the former president

of Egypt, that Sudan wasn’t involved in

the demarcation of the current

borders, affirming that it was their

natives, who were involved in the

process, awhile the colonization era in

Sudan, adding that Sudan is convinced,

that its northern border, extend to the

Mediterranean Sea.

He also added that both countries are

embarking on a new era, regarding the

expected leap on their relationships,

hailing the youth's revolution in Egypt,

who had, according to the president,

achieved a quantum leap in their

country, which is definitely going to

promote bilateral relationships.

In different context, the President

stressed the need for primary school

Sayfa 48

education, to be mandatory for all

eligible children, menacing that any

guardian, who fails to send his children

to school, will be legally prosecuted,

affirming that there is no worse crime,

than holding children from enrolling

schools, pledging to continue

supplying the students through the

school meal program.

He also affirmed that every student,

who has scored 50 percent or higher in

the primary section, will find asset in

the secondary section, on the other

hand, he instructed for the work on

Osaif quarry, to be initiated instantly,

together with the border trade,

regarding the high potential of the

region, that would promote it to

become one of the best borders trade

point.

Moreover, Al Bashir pledged to

provided Osaif hospital with an

adequate number of specialist

physicians, as he also pledged to

supply the region with potable water

and electricity, highlighting Osaif is one

of the highest gold producing regions

in Sudan, together with iron, lime, salt

and fisheries, as he also pledged to

promote Osaif port, in order to enable

it to accommodate all sorts of freight

ships, beside proceeding on paving the

road, linking the region to Egypt.

http://news.egypt.com/english/perma

link/14474.html

Egypt's 'noble poor' denied their role

in the revolution

Egypt's revolution demanded social

justice, and the popularity of a recent

blog post highlighting the injustices

endured by the poor before and since

25 January shows little has changed

Activist Mohammed Abul Gheit’s blog

shot up in popularity with his post The

Poor First, You Bastards for

highlighting the poor’s role in the

revolution. For the first time readers

saw martyr’s photos and stories (20)

from the lower classes, ranging in age

from 16 to 35.

Importantly, the article pushes the

boundaries of Egypt’s classicism by

Sayfa 49

posing the question: Why is the poor's

role in the revolution ignored?

"Why don't we see those people's

photos? Is it because they are poor

and vulgar? Because their clothes are

cheap? Why are the only popular

photos of martyrs from middle- and

upper-middle classes?" wonders Abul

Gheit in his blog that has seen 10,000

likes on Facebook and 6,000

comments.

Indeed, the poor's role is ignored by

most politicians, intellectuals and

researchers, and somehow, Egypt’s

Revolution was classified as a middle-

class revolution.

In fact, all classes were seen in Tahrir

Square. During the height of the

revolt, from 25 - 28 January and

mostly from Cairo's poorest districts:

Imbaba, Boulak and Attaba, including

the fights with police in the alleys that

exhausted the police and played a

major role in the success of the

revolution. A case in point: on the

pivotal date for the revolution, 28

January, the police attacked protesters

and citizens the whole day and then

disappeared. While the middle- and

upper-classes took the beating, tear

gas bombs and bullets peacefully, the

lower classes fought back and

defeated the police.

Activist Amr Ezzat, however, resists

Abul Gheit’s minimisation of the

middle-class’ role in the revolution:

"The middle class was the brain and

initiative of revolution, also I hate the

word poor, you distance yourself from

them and the concept returns us to

charity rather than rights, I like the

political terms of labourers, farmers,

people who have rights, and this

brings us to necessary political

argument not social charity," added

Ezzat.

Abul Gheit's blog post narrates tens of

stories of how the residents of poor

and disadvantaged areas were the

ones who really fought back using

stones, makeshift weapons, such as

knives and sticks, Molotov cocktails

and often with their bare hands.

Treatment by the judicial system

Sayfa 50

To add insult to injury, many believe

that the trials of officers accused of

killing civilians at the site of protests

are at turtle speed. Last Monday the

Alexandria Criminal Court adjourned -

again - the case of six high-ranking

officers charged with the murder and

attempted murder of peaceful

protesters to 17 October. The

courtroom broke out into chaos. Today

the officers were released on account

of their occupation.

The families were outraged by what

they called the “unjustified”

postponement of the trial. The lawyers

of the policemen reportedly raised

fingers at the families, countering that

their sons are "not martyrs: they are

losers who happened to be near the

police station," according to Al Badeel

news website.

The lawyers aren’t the only ones

judging Egypt’s poorer citizens. It’s a

striking pattern to see the poorer

citizens arrested by Egypt’s ruling

military under the pretence that they

are “thugs” and receive worse

treatment than those who are

obviously middle- or upper-class,

including less protection from lawyers

and more abuses occur against them

because they won’t receive as much

media limelight.

What’s important?

So why is the poor's role in the

revolution brushed aside so?

According to Ayman El Sayad, analyst

and editor in chief of Weghat Nazar,

this goes way back to the 70s, forty

years before the 25 January

Revolution, when Egyptian values

changed and it no longer mattered

how educated or respectful people

are, but rather how much they have.

Those who attend public schools and

universities are not treated the same

as those who attend private ones.

"Your value lies in what you are

wearing, etc. As the hierarchy of

society changed; its criteria changed. I

believe that the poor are the main fuel

of the revolution. The people who

have nothing to lose are the noblemen

behind the revolution," concluded El

Sayad.

Sayfa 51

Abul Gheit and El Sayad are on the

same wavelength in this respect. Abul

Gheit linked a video of the police

station in Sayeda Zeinab (a poor

district in central Cairo) as it was being

burnt down. In the video a middle-

class young man warns a poor man:

“Careful; they are shooting live

bullets,” to which the young, poor man

replies "It doesn't matter any longer

whether I live or die."

The analysis Abul Gheit gives for this

exchange is "He [the poor man] didn't

tell him, ‘I'd die for Egypt,’ or ‘I am a

martyr of Islam:' his simple answer

means his life as a poor and humiliated

person is not better than dying. No

one could imagine that the politicians

would later say that if we don't

establish the constitution first that we

would be betraying the martyrs’ blood,

and that group [that is pushing for] the

elections first would counter: we know

the martyrs better than you do and we

have sacrificed more than you."

The whole argument of whether to

establish the constitution first versus

hold the elections first doesn't mean

much to 40 per cent of Egyptians

under the poverty line, unless this

directly affects their living conditions.

They believe that this is all media talk

and no one really cares about them.

The result is that the poor are now

blaming the revolution and

revolutionaries for exacerbating their

poverty post-revolution, explains Abul

Gheit.

Amr Ezzat believes this argument is

demeaning to the poor and politics at

the same time: “I don't agree with the

blog's main argument because it is

against politics, while the most

important thing the revolution did is

politicise Egyptians.”

Since the revolution food prices have

almost doubled. Unemployment for

young people hovers around 30 per

cent. Many of those who have jobs are

under-employed and earn very little.

In a recent survey by the International

Organization for Migration (IOM) 41

per cent of the youth in Egypt

confirmed that the events post-

Sayfa 52

revolution make them want to

migrate.

The survey reveals that the first weeks

of the revolution didn't seem to

influence Egyptians’ decision to

migrate. However, the decline in

economic activity afterwards and the

loss of jobs and incomes acted as a

primary push factor for youth who

reported intentions to migrate.

When asked what their top five most

important issues are, they ranked jobs

and employment as a primary issue;

then corruption; security;

constitutional reform and at the

bottom of their list was education and

the presidential and parliamentary

elections.

Is it just a matter of a minimum wage?

The poor might also interpret the

government’s answer to the recent

minimum wage demands as biased

against them. The government

recently decided to raise the minimum

wage to LE 700 (just over

$100/month), promising to raise it to

LE 1200 ($200) within five years. But

why should the poor have to wait five

more years after over thirty years of

being marginalised and impoverished?

Senior employment expert, Dorothea

Schmidt, with the International Labour

Organization (ILO) is sceptical of this

scheme. She argues that the

government’s plans to implement a

minimum wage in Egypt will have

minimal impact on improving the

poverty situation.

In fact, many economists caveat that a

minimum wage without a maximum

wage and a rearranging of salaries

structure has little significance.

“The LE700 that the government

wants to set as a minimum wage in

both the public and the private sectors

shouldn’t involve that much debate,"

said Schmidt to Ahram Online earlier

this month, adding that large

companies wouldn't be harmed by this

step, as it implicates only a small

increase in production costs.

Sayfa 53

Schmidt believes that informal workers

are ignored by the new policies, as

they do not tackle the wage conditions

of those employed in the informal

sector, a group with the lowest

average wage rates in the country.

Statistics suggest that over 35 per cent

of Egypt's labour is working in

vulnerable jobs, lacking social

insurance, health insurance,

unionisation, etc. Informal

employment in the private sector

includes up to 75 per cent of total

labourers.

Also, the law that criminalised strikes

and protests passed only a month

after the revolution ousted the

president seems particularly biased

against the poor and those who have

long been suffering poor working

conditions and salaries.

The financial budget announced by

Financial Minister Samir Radwan

earlier in June forecasts an

expenditure of LE514.5 billion ($86.6

billion), with revenue increasing to

LE350.3 billion from 285.8, according

to a cabinet statement.

However, when comparing the

increase in the vital section, such as

education and health, the increase is

less than 10 per cent from last year,

which is much less than the

revolutionaries hoped for. The same

applies for the tax increase from 20

per cent to 25 per cent on those

whose annual income exceeds LE10

milllion, according to many analysts, is

much less than expected if you want to

bridge the wide gap between the rich

and the poor.

If this is the stance of the government,

how about the politicians and

intellectuals? They are mostly pre

occupied with the issue of constitution

first or elections first.

Sayfa 54

Many believe that the current

government is biased against the poor

and afraid of the businessmen.

Between being ignored and the

decline in economy, which has left the

poor even poorer, they seem to be

simmering resentment against the

revolution and the middle-class.

"The elite are separated from the

street; they are centred in conference

rooms, on TV channels; they only

discuss what they want and not what

the revolution wants. That's why we

find two political figures with the same

ideas forming two parties instead of

one, because they both want to be

stars" accuses El Sayad, adding that

“...it’s a fake elite that, sadly,

sabotages the revolution. This is

common in history: the noble poor

create the revolution and the

politicians inhale its benefits," adds

Sayad.

Abul Gheit ends his post by quoting

Erdogan in the 90s in an Islamic

organisations conference that his plan

is to solve the sewage problem. He

didn't say he would implement the

sharia (Islamic law) and that's how he

became prime minister: because he

focused on daily problems of the

Turks, but here in Egypt, we don't have

an Erdogan. We only have boring and

old politicians indulging in their

meaningless discussions of secular or

Islamic, constitution first or elections

first, and to those he says "The poor

first."

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCont

ent/1/64/14709/Egypt/Politics-

/Egypts-noble-poor-denied-their-role-

in-the-revolut.aspx

Woman at centre of sectarian

violence in Imbaba, Abeer Talaat, is

released

Abeer Talaat, who turned herself into

police custody when sectarian violence

erupted around her story of

conversion from Christianity to Islam,

has been released

Abeer Talaat, the woman who was

allegedly held by Coptic churches in

Cairo after converting to Islam, and

Sayfa 55

whose story enflamed sectarian

violence in Imbaba last month was

finally released on Tuesday.

Talaat turned herself in to the military

council seeking protection after the

bloody incident on 7 May that left 12

killed and tens injured.

She remained in custody during the

investigations into Imbaba’s sectarian

violence. She was accused of giving

false testimony about her marriage.

Forty eight people implicated in the

Imbaba incidents are to be tried on 3

July.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCont

ent/1/64/14761/Egypt/Politics-

/Woman-at-centre-of-sectarian-

violence-in-Imbaba,-A.aspx

Tunisians voice unease over Ben Ali

'charade' verdict

Tunisians slam hasty Ben Ali trial seen

as attempt by government to placate

citizens

Tunisian authorities came under fire

Tuesday for their high-speed

sentencing in absentia of ousted

president Zine el Abidine Ben Ali and

his wife to 35 years in jail for

embezzling public funds.

The court's quick verdict Monday after

only six hours of deliberation on the

first day of the landmark trial was

dismissed as a "charade" by some

Tunisians and a "joke" by a Ben Ali

lawyer.

"It is a big disappointment, the kind of

charade of summary justice that the

dictatorship had accustomed us to,"

said Mouhieddine Cherbib of a France-

based Tunisian rights group.

"We wanted a real trial, a fair one ... a

trial of the dictatorship with people

who were tortured appearing as

witnesses -- a justice system from

which you learn something," Cherbib

Sayfa 56

said, adding that high treason would

have been a more appropriate charge.

Ben Ali and his wife Leila Trabelsi were

charged with embezzlement after the

discovery of money and jewellery at

their palace on the outskirts of Tunis --

the verdict described Tuesday by daily

La Presse as "a downpayment of 35

years each".

The ex-president was also fined 50

million dinars (25 million euros/$36

million) and his wife 41 million dinars

(20.5 million euro/$30 million).

Judge Touhami Hafi said the

sentences, which exceeded the 20

years that had been widely predicted,

would take immediate effect despite

the couple living in Saudi Arabia, which

has so far ignored Tunisia's demands

to extradite Ben Ali.

A second case targetting Ben Ali only,

involving weapons and drugs allegedly

found in a presidential residence in

Carthage, was postponed to June 30 to

allow his lawyers more time to

prepare.

Ben Ali's lawyer in Beirut denounced

the verdict as farcical.

"This is a joke," attorney Akram Azoury

told AFP. "You don't retaliate to a joke.

You just laugh."

The former president denies any

wrongdoing and in a statement

released Monday said he had not

intended to go into exile while

condemning political developments in

Tunisia since the end of his 23-year

rule.

"I did not abandon my post as

president nor did I flee Tunisia, as

some media have falsely reported ... I

was duped into leaving Tunis," read a

statement released by Azoury.

The trial was only the start of a long

process that may see top members of

Ben Ali's regime in the dock over

allegations including murder, torture,

money laundering and trafficking of

archaeological artefacts.

Of the 93 charges Ben Ali and his inner

circle face, 35 will be referred to a

military court, said a justice ministry

spokesman.

Sayfa 57

"It will take time," said Kemais Ksila,

secretary general of the Tunisian

League of Human Rights.

"Justice takes time. We hope not to

have a political trial but a normal one

that respects procedures," he added.

Monday's conviction was seen as an

attempt by the transitional

government set up after Ben Ali's

departure to show discontented

Tunisians that it was accomplishing

something.

"This trial is a pretext, a charade to

show that they are taking action," said

Beatrice Hibou, a senior researcher at

the CERI international studies institute

in Paris's political studies school

Sciences Po, told AFP.

"It reflects the current tension in

Tunisia. Tunisia is seeing a power

struggle between the social movement

and the old system that wants to

continue" -- many of the former

regime still in the administration and

justice system.

Khadija Mohsen-Finan, Maghreb

researcher at Universite Paris 8,

agreed "it was necessary to convict

Ben Ali to give something to the

population".

But Tunisian lawyer Chawki Tabib said

there was nothing abnormal about the

speed of the ruling, and Morocco's

penal code allowed it.

Ben Ali -- accompanied by his wife and

two children -- left Tunisia for Saudi

Arabia in January at the climax of the

first of the Arab uprisings.

In Monday's statement, he said he

considered himself the victim of a plot

that needs him as the "absolute evil"

so that Tunisians "are prepared for a

new political system created behind

their backs by extremists."

His dramatic departure came less than

a month after the self-immolation of

Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old

street vendor whose protest over

unemployment unleashed already-

simmering popular anger against Ben

Ali.

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsCont

ent/2/8/14766/World/Region/Tunisia

Sayfa 58

ns-voice-unease-over-Ben-Ali-charade-

verdic.aspx

Morocco's Draft Constitution: Much

Ado about Nothing

[By Arezki daoud | The North Africa

Journal | daoud@north-africa.com |

US+508-981-6937] The Moroccan

people are holding their breath on

what's coming on the political front.

Insiders involved in the political reform

with front seat view of a proposed

draft of the new constitution promised

by the King say this one is a "game

changer." Many even go as far as

calling it "revolutionary." But how

revolutionary is this draft document?

For those seeking smooth transition to

democracy, they are going to be

hugely disappointed. In many critical

areas, it seems as if the reform

commission used a thesaurus to

change words to make it sound like a

real change is happening. But the

reality is otherwise. The King will

continue to rule, may be not so

directly now yet certainly via proxy.

For example the King will now become

the "Supreme Representative of the

State," instead of the "Supreme

Representative of the Nation." Well

what does that mean in real terms? As

far I can interpret, he will continue to

call the shots no matter what, in fact

solidifying the Monarchy's control of

all State affairs.

Then it is said that the Amazigh

language will be national language.

Then again neighboring Algeria has

had the Amazigh language recognized

in its constitution for several years.

Yet, a visit to Amazigh land in the

Kabylie region of Algeria and one can

see blatant discrimination against the

Amazigh people in the hands of those

who represent the State. So let's not

be fooled, recognizing Amazigh

language means nothing if not

followed with actions on the ground

and that means economic resources to

those people.

Now further into language semantics:

the draft constitution proposes to

erase the term Prime Minister and

replace it by President of the

Sayfa 59

Government (President du

Gouvernment). Let's be real here, this

is just a exercise in synonyms shifting

and if the King is the "Supreme

Representative of the State," changing

the name would mean nothing, except

that one person will be called Mr.

President. Furthermore, the famous

Article 19 is maintained with some

changes called by the authors as

"revolutionary" as well, but which I

consider window dressing. Article 19

still insists that the King is the

Commander of the Faithfull because of

the "historical legitimacy" to the

benefit of the Monarchy, whatever

that means. But the draft constitution

says the King can remain source of

new laws (called Dahir) but only in

religious matters. That may be true,

yet the fact that no movement by the

new President can be made without

Royal consent is indicative that the

King will continue to call the shot and

will make decision by proxy.

OK I don't mean to be all negative. I do

recognize that the fact that Mr.

President will come from the political

party with the highest number of votes

in the legislative elections is somewhat

a better idea that what we have been

used to. In this case, the President

may be more tempted to report to the

voters and that's a good thing. But

something suggests that we are not

getting the full story. What's the link

between the President and the

"Supreme Representative of the

State." Is the latter like the British

monarch? Or does he (always a man)

have the ability to impose policies and

government decision. The truth is the

real power still remains that of the

King.

Still on the positive front, the cabinet

and the Walis (Provincial Governors)

will be appointed by the President.

How this will happen and what is the

role of the Monarchy remains to be

Sayfa 60

seen as well. One more problem in this

picture is about the other proposed

idea of decentralizing government put

forth by the King himself, an idea that

calls for the regions to decide on who

would govern them at the local level. If

the President is now trusted to

appoint the Walis, with Royal consent,

then should we expect the King's

regionalization initiative to be

scrapped?

Well, here's the truth: nothing the

President will want to do would

happen without the explicit agreement

of the King. That's been in the

constitution forever, and it is in the

proposed "revision." And so we are

back to square one.

As for the parliament, its legislative

coverage will theoretically expand

from 9 areas to 40. The Chamber of

Representatives will be able to form

Commissions of Inquiries if 20% of its

members agree. Motions to Censure

and the removal of the government

can be approved with only 33% of the

body. Personally, I think this is

excessive, a policy clearly meant to

weaken the President and his cabinet.

Here again, the Executive branch is

stuck between the Monarchy, without

which nothing can be done, and the

Parliament, which acts as a deadly

threat that can clearly be used by the

King to reset the agenda and remove

the threat, if any.

Meanwhile, it appears the Monarchy is

slated to gain some more power,

ironically in the name of "less power."

For instance the Justice Minister will

no longer preside on behalf of the King

over the nation's highest judiciary

body, the Conseil Supérieur de la

Magistrature (CSM). Instead, the

function will swing back to the

Monarchy. But the good news there is

that female judges for the first time

will be allowed to join the CSM, and so

we give the Commission some credit

on that front.

How will these changes be greeted in

Morocco? Very simple: millions will be

disappointed and their fight for

democracy will go on. Millions of

others, typical conservative pro-

Monarchists will support it, calling it

Sayfa 61

"revolutionary." Outside of Morocco,

the typical reactions from the likes of

Paris and Washington would be the

usual congratulatory statements of a

democracy on the move, and some in

these governments will privately

express their displeasure for the lack

of progress, but only privately.

In the final analysis, unless the King

comes forward with new changes in

draft 1, we are anticipating sustained

tension on the Moroccan political

scene going forward, not the likes we

see in Siyria or Yemen, but much more

subtle movements. The momentum

built by the youth pro-democracy

movement will not slow and might be

reignited by these latest

announcements. We conclude that at

this stage the response of the

commission appointed by the

Monarchy as lackluster as a lot more

remains to be changed.

http://www.north-

africa.com/naj_news/1juneten46.html

End of consultation on political

reforms ordered by President

Bouteflika

The political consultations ordered by

the head of state Abdelaziz Bouteflika

to reform his country ended Tuesday

as scheduled after a month, it was

learned from official sources, but they

were boycotted by large opposition

groups.

Senate President Abdelkader Bensalah

surrounded by two presidential

advisers surveyed a host of parties and

leaders to hear their suggestions or

demands.

"The meetings planned with political

parties and personalities have been

completed but the forum for

consultations on the reforms will

continue to work to develop a report

to be delivered to the president," told

AFP a source close to the proceeding.

In a speech April 15, Bouteflika

announced reforms in response to the

wave of social and political protest

that shook Algeria in the wake of the

Arab revolt.

Sayfa 62

"The department held an average of

three meetings per day. It has received

political parties except the Rally for

Culture and Democracy (RCD), the

Socialist Forces Front (FFS) and

Socialist Workers Party (PST)" said the

source.

The RCD has rejected the initiative,

calling it "monologue against change"

while the FFS found the reforms "not

credible".

Many organizations and personalities,

including former head of state Ali Kafi

(1992-1994) have followed their path,

the latter holding that "the regime

does not want real change."

The parties of the ruling presidential

alliance presented their suggestions,

including the National Democratic

Rally (RND) of Prime Minister Ahmed

Ouyahia in favour of a presidential

term limits.

Bouteflika had removed during a

partial revision of the constitution in

2008, limiting to two the number of

successive presidential terms which

allowed him to have a third five-year

term in April 2009.

These consultations should lead to

proposals. Bouteflika will present his

final version, which the government

will submission to the National

Assembly in September.

http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/ne

ws/6888.html

Morocco: Arab League welcomes the

new draft constitution

The outgoing Secretary General of the

Arab League Amr Moussa on Tuesday

welcomed the commitment to reform

of King Mohammed VI of Morocco,

which proposed a new constitution to

be submitted to a referendum on July

1.

Sayfa 63

"The Secretary-General considers this

project (the Constitution) as an

important step towards the anchoring

of the pillars of democracy," said a

statement from the League, broadcast

by the official news agency MENA.

This reform project "is part of the

process of development and

modernization undertaken by the

Kingdom of Morocco, and we hope it

will continue and deepen in the

coming period," the statement said.

Mohammed VI has proposed a project

to "strengthen the pillars of

constitutional monarchy, democratic,

parliamentary and social," while

preserving the sovereign prerogatives

of all his "head of state" and

"Commander of the Faithful."

http://www.ennaharonline.com/en/in

ternational/6882.html

5. LEBANON / LÜBNAN

Lebanon's Arabic press digest - June

22, 2011

Following are summaries of some of

the main stories in a selection of

Lebanese newspapers Wednesday.

The Daily Star cannot vouch for the

accuracy of these reports.

Al-Akhbar: Policy statement: Approval

on resistance, STL lingers

Members of the ministerial committee

tasked with drafting the policy

statement adhered to the pledge

made before Prime Minister Najib

Mikati that they will remain silent after

the meeting.

Meanwhile, the country remained

preoccupied with reactions and

counter-reactions between Gen.

Michel Aoun and the opposition team

[the Future Movement-led March 14

Sayfa 64

coalition] against the backdrop of

Aoun’s statement in which he attacked

ex-PM Saad Hariri. Mikati stepped in,

criticizing Aoun.

The ministerial committee approved,

during a meeting held Tuesday, most

of the political articles in the policy

statement, except for the one that

deals with the Special Tribunal for

Lebanon, knowing that the pillars of

the parliamentary majority have left

the text that calls for Lebanon’s

commitment to the “achievement of

justice and truth” into the Hariri

assassination open for discussion.

Sources said that no major

amendments were introduced to a

draft policy statement distributed by

Mikati to committee members. They

said the article concerning “the army,

resistance, people” was approved

without debate.

Ad-Diyar: Aoun promises opposition

[will end up] in Roumieh prison

As preparations got under way for a

positive atmosphere for the start of

the new government, there came Gen.

Michel Aoun’s remarks – which drew

Future Movement response – to

create an atmosphere that hinders the

serious work of the government.

What does Aoun – who won 10

Cabinet seats in Mikati’s government –

mean by saying that many March 14

officials would end up in Roumieh

prison. Does the magnanimity of the

victor generate threats of

imprisonment?

Future Movement appears as if it does

not want the government to work or

to succeed. In any case, government

supporters, such as Gen. Aoun, who

attack in this way, and responses made

by the Future Movement work against

a government and anything

functioning in the country.

Al-Liwaa: Aoun’s attacks poisoned the

atmosphere: Mikati surprised,

Jumblatt disappointed

The policy statement is expected to be

finalized before Friday after committee

members discussed the STL in terms of

international funding, judges and false

witnesses based on justice.

Sayfa 65

In the middle of it all, there came a

dissonant voice from Aoun, which

irritated Mikati and MP Walid

Jumblatt, prompting them to call for

the avoidance of malicious behavior

and rallying behind government

actions.

Al-Mustaqbal: Future bloc responds to

"sick minds" … March 14 issues key

statement today

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri

broke his silence Tuesday to respond

to Gen. Michel Aoun’s provocative

remarks which exceeded all limits.

"The only people who will face prison

are the killers of Rafik Hariri and all the

martyrs of the Cedar Revolution, and

those with sick souls who protect

them," said a statement issued by

Hariri’s office.

As-Safir: Aoun hints at imprisonment

... Hariri responds

Mikati appears to be determined to

make up for the delay in government

formation by seeking to break the

record for finalizing the policy

statement being discussed by the

ministerial committee to ensure a

speedy approval.

It was learnt that the committee will

hold two consecutive meetings on

Thursday and Friday. If finalized before

the weekend, Mikati will call for a

Cabinet meeting to be held on Friday

afternoon to discuss and approve the

policy statement.

And if the draft policy statement was

handed over to Parliament Speaker

Nabih Berri on Saturday, he would

distribute it Monday among the

lawmakers and would call for open-

ended parliamentary sessions starting

Wednesday to speed up the approval

and pave the way for government

action.

The draft policy statement and ways to

approach the sensitive points,

particularly with regards to the STL,

was discussed at a meeting late

Tuesday in Ain al-Tineh between Berri,

Cabinet Minister Ali Hasan Khalil and

the political aide to Hezbollah chief

Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, Hajj Hussein

Khalil.

Sayfa 66

Meanwhile, the sharp bickering

continued between Aoun and the

March 14 team, with the Future

Movement at the forefront. PM Mikati

and Jumblatt, however, stood at a

distance from Aoun’s remarks.

An-Nahar: Government seeks to

accelerate [policy] statement, Aoun

embarrasses centrists

The domestic political scene split

Tuesday between a government

seeking to move toward the stage that

comes after a vote of confidence, and

an opposition seeking to lay the

foundation for its action – at the

forefront would be a call for

demilitarizing Tripoli.

Meanwhile, statements made by Aoun

against Future Movement leader Saad

Hariri prompted response from Mikati

and head of the National Stuggle Front

Walid Jumblatt, with both expressing

“surprise” and rejecting “malicious

behavior." Mikati and Jumblatt are

considered centrists.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Pol

itics/2011/Jun-22/Lebanons-Arabic-

press-digest---June-22-

2011.ashx#axzz1PzOnWFlX

Berri: Cabinet to undergo test to

prove competence

In an interview with As-Safir

newspaper published on Wednesday,

Speaker Nabih Berri said “The cabinet

will undergo a difficult test to prove its

competence in the next two years.”

“The future of the new majority

depends on the result of this test. If

the [majority] fails, this means it will

lose in the next parliamentary

elections.”

He added that it was important that

the new cabinet addresses electricity,

water, gas and administrative issues,

adding that the cabinet is in front of

big responsibilities.

Berri also said that the new majority

does not have the intent to avenge

from anyone, adding that laws will be

the standard adopted.

The speaker also told the daily that

Internal Security Forces Director

Sayfa 67

General Achraf Rifi is attending the

security meetings being held by Prime

Minister Najib Mikati.

An-Nahar newspaper also quoted on

Wednesday Berri as saying that

violations and robberies in ministries

and state institutions will not go

unpunished.

“Everyone is under the law,” the daily

quoted the speaker as saying, and

adding those who committed

violations will be held accountable.

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsAr

ticleDetails.aspx?ID=284397

6. SYRIA / SURİYE

Arap Medyası El-Esad'ın Konuşmasına

Geniş Yer Ayırdı

BAŞKENTLER – Arap ve yabancı

gazeteler bugünkü sayılarında

Cumhurbaşkanı Beşşar el-Esad’ın

dünkü konuşmasının Suriye halkının

farklı alanlardaki reformlarla ilgili talep

ve özlemlerini yansıtarak gelecek

aşamanın profilini çizdiğini ifade

ettiler. Gazeteler; yaşanan krizden çıkış

yolunun köşe taşlarını da kapsayan

konuşmada el-Esad’ın; güvenlik ve

istikrarın gelişim, yapılanma ve

reformların temelini teşkil ettiğine

dikkat çekildi.

Lübnanlı Gazeteci Yazar Süleyman

Takiyuddin el-Sefir gazetesinde

yayınlanan makalesinde; el-Esad’ın

konuşmasının, Suriye’nin gelecek

yönündeki yolunu yararak bütün

Suriyelilerin önüne kapsamlı reformlar

yolunu açtığını ifade etti.

El-Esad'ın konuşmasının halkın duygu

ve ihtiyaçlarıyla ilgili bilincinin tam

olduğunu yansıttığını belirten

Takiyuddin; el-Esad'ın krizden çıkışın

gerçek anahtarı olan kapsamlı ulusal

diyaloga ulaşmayı başardığını

vurguladı.

Sayfa 68

Gazeteci Sami Kleyb de aynı gazetede

yayınlanan makalesinde; bütün açılımcı

reformların el-Esad'ın konuşmasına

yansıdığını dile getirerek güçlü olanın

dış baskılar ya da muhalefetin

baskısının değil reformları uygulayan

devletin kendisi olduğunun altını çizdi.

El-Esad'ın dünkü konuşmasında bütün

halka hitap ederek reformlara

odaklandığına dikkat çeken Kleyb; bu

konuşmada el-Esad'ın reformlar

konusundaki ciddiyetinin net bir

şekilde okunduğunu aktardı.

El-Esad'ın konuşmasında anayasanın

kimi maddelerinin düzeltilebileceği ve

yolsuzlukla mücadeleye öncelik

verileceği gibi önemli noktalara ışık

tutan Kleyb; el-Esad'ın dış komplo

tehlikesinin her zaman var olacağını

ifade ederek güvenlik kemeri ve

reform azminin önemine işaret ettiğini

vurguladı.

Lübnanlı el-Bina gazetesi ise el-Esad'ın

konuşmasının gelecek aşamayla ilgili

geniş bir harita çizdiğini belirterek

bunun konuşmadan sonraki sürecin

öncesinden farklı olacağına işaret

ettiğini dile getirdi.

El-Esad'ın konuşmasının iç reformlarla

ilgili ayrıntılı bir program içermesi

boyutuyla önem taşıdığını vurgulayan

el-Bina; ülke dışından yapılan siyasi

provokasyonun Suriye’de yaşanan

kaosta büyük bir etkiye sahip olduğuna

dikkat çekti.

“El-Esad Ulusal Diyaloga Hazırlanıyor”

başlığı altında dünkü konuşmayı

değerlendiren Lübnanlı el-Ahbar

gazetesi ise el-Esad'ın konuşmasında

gelecek aşamada devletin izleyeceği

politikanın profilini çizdiğine

odaklanarak konuşmanın içeriğini

kapsamlı bir şekilde ele aldı.

Zeyna el-Huri de Lübnanlı Diyar

gazetesindeki köşesinde el-Esad’ın Şam

Üniversitesi Konferans salonunda

halka hitaben yaptığı konuşmanın

Suriye’yi yeni bir çağa taşıyacak

reformlara ışık tuttuğunu ibraz etti.

Ürdün’de yayınlanan el-Arap gazetesi

ise El-Esad'ın halkın taleplerini

karşılamak için doğru tahliller yaptığına

Sayfa 69

değinerek kapsamlı ulusal diyalog

sürecinin önemine dikkat çekti.

Kuveytli el-Ray gazetesi el-Esad’ın

konuşmasında iç direnci ve gücü

pekiştirme gereğine dikkat çektiğini

belirterek sürekli var olan dış

komplolar tehlikesine bu şekilde

meydan okunacağına odaklandığını

ifade etti.

İranlı Keyhan el-Arap gazetesi ise

konuşmayı manşetten “Suriye Başkanı

ve Vatan-Asalet Konuşması” başlığı

altında yayınlayarak el-Esad'ın

konuşmasında siyasi reformlara

öncelik verdiğini belirtti.

http://www.sana.sy/tur/237/2011/06/

21/353916.htm

SANA Correspondents: Millions of

Syrian Citizens Flock to Public Squares

in Support of the Comprehensive

Reform Program under Leadership of

President Bashar al-Assad

SYRIAN GOVERNORATES, (SANA)-The

Public Squares and main streets in the

Syrian Governorates were filled with

huge masses in support of the

comprehensive reform program led by

President Bashar al-Assad. Millions of

the Syrian citizens, representing all

spectrums of the Syrian people, early

morning flocked to the main squares

at the main cities carrying national

flags and banners and chanting slogans

in support for Syria and its national

unity.

Millions of the Syrian citizens gathered

in the public squares in support of the

comprehensive reform program under

the Leadership of President Bashar al-

Assad. More than million citizens

flocked to the Umayyad Square from

Damascus city and its Countryside and

Quneitra in support of the

comprehensive reform under the

leadership of President Bashar al-

Assad.

"Huge masses in the Governorates of

Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Sweida, Lattakia,

Daraa, Hasaka, Tartous, Deir Ezzor,

Raqaa and Idleb are flocking to the

public squares in support of the reform

process under the leadership of

Sayfa 70

President Bashar al-Assad," SANA

Correspondents said.

President al-Assad's Speech Receives

Wide Attention on Arab and

International Levels

Arab and International newspapers

published on Tuesday underlined that

President al-Assad's speech expressed

the Syrian people's desire and

aspiration for reform and it has drawn

the headlines for the next stage of the

national dialogue.

speech expressed the Syrian people's

desire and aspiration for reform and it

has drawn the headlines for the next

stage of the national dialogue.

In the Lebanese As-Safir Newspaper,

writer and journalist Suleiman Taqi-

Eddin underlined that President al-

Assad's speech paved the way for

Syria's future and opened the door

wide for reform for all the Syrians.

For his part, Journalist Sami Kleib

wrote also for As-Safir saying that the

strong state is the one which carries

out reform and not the foreign

pressures.

Reviewing the most prominent points

in President al-Assad's speech, Kleib

saw that the speech holds two

important headlines: the security

firmness and the reform

determination.

Lebanese al-Binaa Newspaper said that

President al-Assad's speech has

constituted a massive road map for

the next stage, and set prominent

headlines for the situation Syria has

witnessed so far, which means that the

stage after the speech is different from

the stage prior to it.

Zena al-Khouri said in an article

published in al Diyar Lebanese

Newspaper that President al-Assad

chose Damascus University to present

his reform plan and to explain to the

world the hugeness of the foreign-

backed conspiracy hatched against

Syria.

She pointed out that President al-

Assad presented a reform package

that would move the country to a new

era.

Sayfa 71

Jordanian Alarabalyawm Newspaper

said that President al-Assad put things

on their right track with regard to

accomplishing people's demands for

reform through adopting particular

mechanisms based on a

comprehensive national dialogue.

Al Rai Kuwaiti Newspaper described

president al-Assad's speech as

positive, pointing out that the

President focused on the need for

fortifying and strengthening the local

situation to maintain security and

stability in the country and to confront

the constant conspiracies targeting

Syria.

In Tehran, Kayhan al-Arabi Newspaper

published an article under the title of

"President al-Assad and Motherland

and Originality Speech" saying that

President al-Assad declared his

strategic priorities in the framework of

launching basic and fundamental

reforms.

The Deputy Chairman of the Russian

Committee for Solidarity with Syria

said that he read the speech of

President al-Assad precisely as many

righteous ideas drew his attention,

particularly those related to the

necessity of reform process which is

being translated on the ground.

"When one watch what is being

broadcast by some media, he/she

realizes that there is an organized

fierce campaign launched against Syria

…there is wide media misleading that

intervenes the rights of the Syrian

citizens and those who are interested

in the Syrian situation to get realistic

information about what is happening

in Syria" he said, indicating that Russia

will not allow the adoption of any

resolution against Syria by the UN

Security Council.

On his part, Chairman of the Russian

Society for Friendship and Cooperation

with Arab Countries, Vyacheslav

Sayfa 72

Matuzov, said that President al-Assad's

speech focused on urgent issues

according to Syria, and the President

conveyed a clear and honest image

about what is happening on the

ground.

Matuzov stressed that the speech

indicates confidence in Syria's ability to

get out of the crisis and that it will

remain steadfast in its stances and its

defense of the Arab and Syrian

people's interests and rights.

Former Lebanese President Emile

Lahoud said that President al-Assad's

speech presented a precise description

to the situation in Syria including the

armed attack on the people, the army

and the military forces, the killing of

the civilians, destroying public and

private properties and intimidating the

residents by armed gangs to

undermine Syria's stability.

In a statement issued by Lahoud's

media office, the Lebanese President

pointed out to the hasty reactions on

President al-Assad's qualitative speech

by Israel's apparatus and supporters

refer that they are determined to

hatch gory conspiracy against Syria,

yet they will not succeed in that.

Lebanese State Minister, Ali Qanso

said that president al-Assad's speech

shows his keenness on his country's

unity and stability, pointing out that

the USA is trying through these events

to exert pressure on Syria for its

pivotal role in the region.

Member of Al Wafaa Resistance Bloc,

Lebanese MP Kamel Ar Rifai said that

President al-Assad's speech reflects his

relief over the internal situation in

Syria based on linking the crisis with

foreign agendas and sabotage groups.

For his part, Chairman of the Lebanese

Democratic Party, MP Talal Areslan,

said that President al-Assad proves

everyday that he can make the crisis a

basis for resistance, stressing that the

Syrian people stand by their President

against the sinister plots.

http://www.sana.sy/eng/21/2011/06/

21/353854.htm

Sayfa 73

Dr. Shaaban: The West had better

support the process of democracy

Syria is witnessing process instead of

imposing sanctions on the country

Damascus- President Bashar al-Assad’s

Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina

Shaaban has stressed that the United

States and European countries had

better provide support for the process

of democracy Syria is witnessing

instead of imposing sanctions on it.

Shaaban added that “President Bashar

al-Assad has promised the Syrian

people of political and social reforms,

and he has kept his promise,” pointing

out that the president had cancelled

the emergency law and formed

committees to establish new political

parties.

In a statement to al-Jazeera English,

Shaaban said that new bill are

currently being formulated in addition

to new laws on information and

freedom of journalism, pointing out

that the bills will be presented to a

national dialogue to be discussed.

She said that president al-Assad had

set a clear vision for progress in the

country and this vision will be

presented to national dialogue and will

witness the participation of all

opposition forces and social sectors.

http://www.champress.net/index.php

?q=en/Article/view/93816

7. ARABIAN PENINSULA AND THE

GULF OF BASRA / ARAP YARIMADASI VE

BASRA KÖRFEZİ

Yemeni protesters demand interim

council to prevent Saleh’s return

Women carry a mock coffin of the

'Constitutional Legitimacy' during a

demonstration to demand the ouster

of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah

Sayfa 74

Tens of thousands of anti-government

protesters demonstrated in the

Yemeni capital Monday demanding

the formation of an interim ruling

council to prevent the wounded

president from returning to power.

“Raise your voice and demand a

transitional council,” demonstrators

chanted as they marched in Hayel

Street, near the main protest centre at

University Square, an AFP

correspondent reported.

Protesters who for five months have

been demanding the ouster of

President Ali Abdullah Saleh, have

been pressing his deputy Abdrabuh

Mansur Hadi to set up a transitional

council since Mr. Saleh was flown to

Riyadh earlier his month for treatment

for blast wounds sustained in a bomb

attack on his palace.

The demonstrators also chanted

slogans calling for the removal of Mr.

Saleh relatives from the helm of

security bodies, including his son

Ahmed and nephew Amar, who head

the elite Presidential Guard and

National Security force, respectively.

On Friday, hundreds of thousands of

Yemenis held protests across the

impoverished state, pushing for the

swift formation of the interim council.

Meanwhile, six Yemeni soldiers,

including two officers, were killed in

clashes with Al Qaeda-linked militants

near the gunmen-held southern city of

Zinjibar overnight, an officer said on

Monday.

The officer from the 119th Artillery

Brigade said army units “fought fierce

battles on Sunday night with Ansar Al

Sharia (Supporters of Islamic Sharia

law) gunmen connected to Al Qaeda.”

“Six members of the brigade were

killed, including Colonel Jamal Al Jaafi,

and eight others were wounded,” he

Sayfa 75

told AFP, adding that the militants had

also suffered casualties.

He said that air support had been

called in and warplanes hit several

areas held by the militants.

Hundreds of gunmen took control of

Zinjibar on May 29 in battles in which

some 90 soldiers died.

Officials say the militants are

connected to Al Qaeda but opponents

of President Saleh accuse his

government of exaggerating a jihadist

threat to head off Western pressure

on his 33-year rule.

Yemen is the home of Al Qaeda in the

Arabian Peninsula, an affiliate of the

slain Osama bin Laden’s militant

network. The group is accused of anti-

US plots including an attempt to blow

up a US-bound aircraft on Christmas

Day, 2009.

http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/20

11/06/20/154110.html

Clashes in Taiz Resume

Eyewitnesses said that two civilians

were injured in clashes between pro

revolution armed tribesmen and

republican guards in al-Hoban and

Kalabah area of Taiz, near change

square Tuesday night.

Light gunfire was then heard in the city

for the next two hours.

Fierce clashes continued for 20

minutes in the city. No protesters were

reported injured.

Clashes in Taiz calmed down over the

last two weeks after intensive fighting

between armed gunmen from Sharaab

and Mikhlafi tribes who took over

most parts of Taiz city after

governmental forces attacked and

killed dozens of youth protesters.

http://yemenpost.net/Detail12345678

9.aspx?ID=3&SubID=3735&MainCat=3

Massive Demonstration in Sana'a as

Protesters Warn of Attempts to Abort

Uprising

A massive demonstration was held in

Yemen's capital Sana'a on Tuesday in

Sayfa 76

which tens of thousands of protesters

called for an immediate transitional

council and chanted slogans refusing

external interventions affecting the

implementation of the goals of the

popular uprising.

They also chanted slogans confirming

they will continue their revolution

peacefully and condemning all

attempts to leave the Yemeni people

suffer amid acute shortages and day-

and-night power outages.

In the last few days, the fuel shortage

has worsened with more than a half

km long queues of cars seen in main

streets in the capital and even there

have been hundreds of cars parked on

other streets near stations for days.

"I am here on Daery Street for a three

successive day. I cam here to fill my car

but there was not petrol, and when a

fuel shipment arrived a military

commander came here to fill his car by

force triggering the closure of the

filling station," said Nabil Tarboosh, a

driver. "I was forced to park my car

here, because there is not an oil drop

in it…..I can't move," he added.

Meantime, the youth-led protesters in

various squares of change and

freedom warned on Tuesday of any

attempts to implement any power

transfer without their participation. "If

such thing happens, we will escalate

our protest until all political forces

surrender to our demands," they said

in a statement.

The statement urged the Joint Meeting

Parties, the opposition bloc, to meet

their commitment towards the

popular uprising and stop backing any

regional or international initiatives for

power transition in Yemen.

Furthermore, the youth-led protesters

renewed their refusal to inclusion of

any of the Saleh regime members in

the transitional council, adding," and if

the council includes unwelcome

opposition figures, the council will be

announced illegitimate".

http://yemenpost.net/Detail12345678

9.aspx?ID=3&SubID=3734&MainCat=3

Sayfa 77

More focus on rights issues in Bahrain

Bahrain has changed the name of the

Ministry of Social Development to the

Ministry of Human Rights and Social

Development.

His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al

Khalifa of bahrain issued a decree law

in this regard on Monday to push for

more focus on human rights by the

ministry.

With the new name, the ministry will

have two under-secretaries, one for

human rights and the other for social

development. The human rights

section of the ministry will be

dedicated to deal with international

reports about Bahrain and follow the

activities of human rights

organisations inside and outside the

country.

http://www.khaleejtimes.com/display

article.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/201

1/June/middleeast_June594.xml&secti

on=middleeast&col=

Bahrain 'will emerge stronger'

Bahrain will overcome the current

crisis and re-emerge stronger, His

Majesty King Hamad declared last

night. "Crises don't scare us. A crisis

flares up only to abate, for

development to be set back in

motion," he said, calling for national

unity so that Bahrain can be put back

on the path of progress and prosperity.

His Majesty was speaking as he

separately visited Al Mahmood and Al

Musallam majlises in Hidd,

accompanied by his Personal

Representative Shaikh Abdulla bin

Hamad Al Khalifa and Shaikh Nasser

bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

His Majesty thanked the loyal citizens

for their honourable stances,

reassuring them on Bahrain's radiant

future, security and stability.

He reaffirmed his firm keenness for all

parties to take part in the National

Dialogue and voice their opinions.

http://www.gulf-daily-

news.com/NewsDetails.aspx?storyid=3

08422

Sayfa 78

The Independent: Bahraini leadership

faces new claims that torture took

place in hospital

Group says suspected protesters – and

doctors and nurses who treated them

– have been systematically abused

The government of Bahrain faces fresh

allegations that it systematically

tortured people it suspected of taking

part in demonstrations against its

autocratic rulers earlier this year, and

of deliberately undermining the

country's health system as 20 doctors

go back on trial today for their

supposed role in the protests.

One of the world's most respected

humanitarian organisations, Médecins

Sans Frontières (MSF), alleges that

security forces loyal to the tiny Gulf

state's authoritarian leader, King

Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, regularly beat

hospital patients who had injuries that

could have been sustained during the

rallies that started in February.

The MSF testimony is the first to

document the existence of what was

effectively a torture chamber

maintained by Bahraini forces within

the hospital. And it provides fresh

evidence that retribution was not

limited to the alleged ringleaders of

the protests.

Jonathan Whittall, MSF's head of

mission in Bahrain, has recently

returned from the country. He says

that troops routinely tortured patients

at the main Salmaniya Medical

Complex (SMC) in the capital,

Manama. "The security forces basically

took control of the hospital on 17

March when tanks moved outside and

set up checkpoints for anyone entering

or leaving. Inside, many of the

wounded with injuries that could have

been sustained during the protests

were taken to the sixth floor, where

they were beaten three times a day."

Sayfa 79

MSF says that young men with injuries

such as broken limbs or gunshot

wounds were particularly targeted for

abuse,

"The hospital became a place to be

feared," says Mr Whittall. "One patient

was caught trying to leave and he was

beaten both at Salmaniya and then

later in jail – there was no evidence

that he was a ringleader. The situation

was so bad some people didn't dare

come to the hospital – in some cases,

people had no access to healthcare

and that is still the situation today."

Some of the injured were removed

from hospital, only to reappear later

with more serious injuries, Mr Whittall

adds. "One guy was brought into the

hospital with a sword injury to the

head, but he was removed by

government forces and disappeared

for weeks. His family had no idea what

had happened to him until he

reappeared with severe brain damage.

There were no medical reports or any

indication of what had happened to

him during his detention."

Unlike protests in other Middle

Eastern countries, such as Tunisia or

Egypt, where pro-democracy

demonstrators have ousted unpopular

dictatorships, Bahrain has effectively

quelled its protests. Largely, those on

the streets, who took over Manama's

central Pearl Square, were from the

majority Shia population, who argue

that they are denied the opportunities

afforded to the minority Sunnis. The

ruling al-Khalifa family are Sunni.

In March, Bahrain asked neighbouring

Saudi Arabia, where the ruling royal

family is also Sunni, to send in troops

to put down the protests.

The United States last week included

Bahrain on its list of human rights

abusers, which includes Iran, North

Korea, Zimbabwe and Syria. The US

had previously been criticised for its

lack of action against Bahrain, home to

a US naval fleet.

Bahrain's Information Affairs Authority

said last week that it intends to sue

The Independent for what it described

as this newspaper's "skewed

Sayfa 80

perspective and factually incorrect bias

that have provided the basis for the

daily's assault on Bahrain and its

people".

As well as allegations made by a

variety of human rights organisations

of meting out violent retribution to

those it claims took part in the uprising

against the state, the Bahraini

government has targeted medical

professionals, whom it accuses of

helping the demonstrators.

The trial of the 20 doctors charged

with undermining public order was

due to resume today. In other

instances, doctors and nurses stand

accused of refusing to treat those

injured during the protests that had

come out in support of the

government, and in some cases of

killing people.

MSF's Jonathan Whittall: "There is no

evidence that doctors turned away any

casualties or did anything to

destabilise the situation. In fact, the

whole thing was so chaotic,” he says.

"There is a lot of anger among the

medical community; a massive feeling

of injustice. Many of the doctors feel

that they have been singled out and

targeted because of their standing in

society; because they spoke out

against the violence, and that some

worked at medical stations set up in

Pearl Square during the height of the

protests." Most of the doctors in

Bahrain are Shia Muslims.

The families of several doctors claim

that they have been beaten during

their detention – claims that have

been corroborated by human rights

organisations – and that confessions

have been extracted under torture.

These claims are denied by the

Bahraini government.

A series of emails between a surgeon

at Salmaniya and the British professor

who trained him, published by The

Independent in April, gave a vivid

glimpse of the pressures on staff.

"I am in the hospital exhausted and

overwhelmed by the number of young

lethally injured casualties. It's genocide

Sayfa 81

to our people and our hospital doctors

and nurses are targeted for helping

patients by pro-government militia,"

he wrote on 15 March.

Two days later Bahraini forces stormed

the hospital, saying it had become

"overrun by political and sectarian

activity". Human rights groups say it

was an act of intimidation.

Bahrain's Justice Minister told a press

conference in May when the doctors

were charged that they had

deliberately injured a protester who

arrived with a wound on his thigh,

causing him to bleed to death. In

another case they had operated

unnecessarily on a protester who was

shot in the head. In both cases the

doctors would be charged with

"assault that led to death", he said.

According to an Amnesty International

report published earlier this month,

security officials at Bahrain's Criminal

Investigations Directorate forced a

number of doctors and nurses to stand

for long periods, deprived them of

sleep, beat them with rubber hoses

and wooden boards containing nails,

and made them sign papers while

blindfolded.

Bahrain recently lifted its national

state of emergency, arguing that the

situation has largely returned to

normal and that the government is

listening to the grievances of

demonstrators. This claim is dismissed

by several organisations as cosmetic.

The lifting of the state of emergency

coincided with a decision by Formula

One to reinstate the Bahrain Grand

Prix, which was postponed in March.

Initially the race was rescheduled for

October, but was cancelled again two

weeks ago when a number of leading

drivers expressed concern at returning

to the country.

Mr Whittall agrees that the changes

have been superficial: "The tanks may

have been moved from the front of

Salmaniya, but these have been

replaced by armoured personnel

carriers," he says.

It is not just medical professionals that

have been brought before military

Sayfa 82

courts: a number of demonstrators

have already been sentenced to death

for their role in the protests. Last

week, a 20-year-old student, Ayat al-

Gormezi, was sentenced to a year in

prison for reciting an anti-government

poem in Pearl Square. She was beaten

in prison and was not given access to a

lawyer during her trial.

http://www.bahrainrights.org/en/nod

e/4271

8. SOUTH ASIA / GÜNEY ASYA

PAKISTAN / PAKİSTAN

Three security officials, four militants

killed in Khyber, Orakzai

Local police and government officials

confirmed the attack and death toll. —

At least three security officials were

killed in attacks on checkpoints in the

Khyber and Orakzai tribal regions on

Wednesday, DawnNews reported.

Four militants were also killed in the

ensuing clashes.

In one of the attacks, militants

ambushed the Sarband checkpoint

before dawn. The checkpoint lies just

outside the town of Bara in Khyber

district, part of Pakistan’s tribal region

on the Afghan border where Taliban

and al Qaeda-linked networks have

bases.

In the second attack in the Khyber

tribal region, a bomb blast occurred at

a tribal police checkpoint in the town

of Jamrud. The blast killed a policeman

and wounded three others, Khyber

administrator Shafeerullah Khan said.

“One tribal policeman was martyred

and three others were wounded in the

bomb blast at the checkpoint,” Khan

said.

A third attack took place in the Orakzai

tribal region.

A covert US drone war targets Taliban

and al-Qaeda commanders in

Sayfa 83

Pakistan’s rugged northwest tribal

region and bomb attacks there are

common.

Nearly 4,500 people have been killed

across Pakistan in attacks blamed on

Taliban and other extremist networks

based in the tribal belt since 2007.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/22/fi

ve-militants-killed-in-clash-outside-

peshawar.html

Pakistani support for military action

against militants drops: poll

Domestic support for the Pakistani

military’s campaign against militant

groups has waned in recent years, a

poll by a US group has found, showing

deep-rooted opposition among the

Pakistani public to the United States.

The findings of two Pew Research

Center surveys will be disappointing

for the United States, which wants its

ally to deal forcefully with militants,

particularly those fighting US-led

foreign forces across the border in

Afghanistan and take refuge in

northwestern Pakistani border

enclaves.

The survey of 3,221 Pakistanis found

that just 37 per cent of them

supported using the army to fight

militants, which was 16 per cent lower

than two years ago, according to Pew.

The surveys also showed that most

Pakistanis — 63 per cent —

disapproved of the secret US raid in

May that killed Osama bin Laden, with

55 per cent describing it as a “bad

thing”.

It was not clear if the respondents

disapproved of the killing of the al

Qaeda leader, who has not been

popular in the country in recent years,

or the secret US raid which many

people saw as a violation of Pakistan’s

sovereignty.

Only 12 per cent of respondents had a

positive view of the United States and

only eight per cent had confidence in

President Barack Obama “to do the

right thing in world affairs”, Pew said.

Sayfa 84

“Most Pakistanis see the United States

as an enemy, consider it a potential

military threat and oppose American-

led anti-terrorism efforts,” Pew said.

The overwhelming rejection of US

goals in the region puts Pakistan’s US-

allied government and military in a

difficult position in trying to please its

people while working with the United

States.

Although Pakistan said the death of

bin Laden was a positive step in the

battle against militancy, his killing by

US Navy SEALs in his Pakistani hideout

seriously damaged already strained

ties between the uneasy allies.

After the raid, the Pakistan army cut

back the number of US troops

stationed in the country and ended

their role in training Pakistani soldiers

involved in fighting militants.

The Pakistan military also faced rare

criticism at home for its failure to

discover that the al Qaeda chief had

been living in the country, apparently

undetected, for years.

“Overwhelmingly popular”

But Pew said despite criticism after the

bin Laden raid, the military remained

“overwhelmingly popular”, with 79 per

cent of respondents saying it had a

good influence on the country.

The ratings for military chief General

Ashfaq Kayani saw a slight decrease

after the bin Laden raid with 52 per

cent of people favourable and 21 per

cent unfavourable.

Previously, Kayani was viewed

positively by 57 per cent, with 18 per

cent seeing him in a negative light.

Militants have stepped up attacks in

recent weeks to avenge bin Laden’s

killing.

Pew said 55 per cent of people

surveyed were “very or somewhat

worried” that the militants might take

Sayfa 85

over Pakistan, though that fear was

down from 69 per cent two years ago.

Still, 63 per cent considered Islamic

extremism a problem although that

was a decline from two years ago,

when 79 per cent said they were

worried.

Views of al Qaeda and the Pakistani

Taliban as threats have fluctuated over

the years.

In 2009, 61 per cent of Pakistanis

viewed al Qaeda as a threat, dropping

to 38 per cent in 2010 and rising to 49

per cent after bin Laden’s death. The

Taliban were seen as a very serious

threat by 73 per cent in 2009, but that

had dropped to 54 per cent.

Worryingly for the United States, 26

per cent of respondents saw the

Taliban regaining control in

Afghanistan as good for Pakistan while

21 per cent said it would be bad.

In 2010, 18 per cent believed it would

be good for Pakistan.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/22/p

akistani-support-for-military-action-

against-militants-drops-poll.html

AFGHANISTAN / AFGANİSTAN

Officials in Afghanistan say a roadside

bomb has killed four Afghan civilians in

the country's south.

Suicide Attack Targeting Afghan

Governor Kills Female Student

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Afghan officials say a suicide bomb

attack targeting a governor's vehicle in

northern Afghanistan has killed a

bystander and injured a bodyguard.

Officials said the bomber detonated

his explosives outside the office of

Parwan Province Governor Abdul Basir

Salangi as the governor's car was

leaving the compound.

A young female student was killed in

the explosion.

Sayfa 86

The governor was not in the car at the

time of the attack.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid

claimed responsibility for the attack in

a text message to AP.

Meanwhile, the NATO-led

International Security Assistance Force

(ISAF) said two of its soldiers died late

on June 20 during insurgent attacks in

eastern Afghanistan.

Forty-two coalition soldiers have died

so far this month, according to an AP

count.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

One killed in suicide attack in

Afghanistan's Parwan province

(Xinhua) -- At least one person was

killed and another injured when a

suicide bomber targeting provincial

governor blew himself up in

Afghanistan's Parwan province, 55 km

north of the Afghan capital of Kabul on

Tuesday morning, police said.

"A suicide attacker detonated his

explosive vest near the entrance of the

governor's office in the provincial

capital Charikar city at around 10:50

a.m. (local time) Tuesday. As a result a

teenage girl was killed and a security

guard injured," deputy provincial

police chief Zia-ul-Rahman Seyedkhili

told Xinhua.

He said the governor Abdul Basir

Salangi escaped the attack unhurt.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Tehran, Kabul to exchange terror data

Press TV

Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Ali

Abdollahi says Iran and Afghanistan

have agreed to exchange intelligence

on fighting terrorism.

“Based on the agreement, it has been

decided that we exchange intelligence

to launch simultaneous operations

against terrorist and extremist

groups,” Abdollahi told reporters in a

joint press conference with his Afghan

counterpart Abdul Rahman Rahman,

Sayfa 87

following a meeting of Iran-

Afghanistan joint security working

group on Tuesday, Fars news agency

reported.

Abdollahi said that the two-day

meeting was held in line with a

security agreement signed between

the two countries some five years ago.

Fighting terrorism and drugs trafficking

were among the issues discussed at

the meeting, the Iranian official said.

He went on to say that Iran and

Afghanistan are determined to fight

terrorism, adding that finding ways of

counter “extremist currents” in the

region that harm both countries, is

among the tasks in the agenda of the

Iran-Afghanistan committee.

Abdollahi pointed out that both

countries, as victims of drugs, have

also called for serious measures to

curb drugs production and trafficking.

He said that during the meeting, Iran

again expressed readiness to train the

Afghan police in countering drug

trafficking and terrorism.

Abdollahi also stated that Iran was

already engaged in providing training

to the Afghan police, adding that the

Islamic Republic was willing to

continue the important effort.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

China pleased to see progress in

Afghan reconciliation: FM spokesman

BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China is

pleased to see the reconciliation

process in Afghanistan make progress,

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman

Hong Lei said Tuesday.

"China supports Afghanistan's efforts

for national reconciliation. and China

hopes the country can realize peace

and stability at an early date," Hong

said at a press briefing.

Concerning the peace talks, Hong said,

the world should fully respect the

choices made by the Afghan

government and people and create an

environment in favor of the

reconciliation.

Sayfa 88

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates

confirmed Sunday that the United

States is in "preliminary" contact with

Taliban militants for peace talks in

Afghanistan, one day after Afghan

President Hamid Karzai said talks with

the Taliban were "going well."

To find a peaceful solution to the

Afghan imbroglio and end the war, the

Karzai government has established a

70-member peace body, the High

Council for Peace, to contact Taliban

insurgents and convince them to give

up fighting and join the government.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Obama plans to call back 30,000

troops from Afghanistan by 2012:

report

(Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack

Obama is expected to announce a plan

that would call for a reduction of

30,000 U.S. forces from Afghanistan by

the end of 2012, CNN reported

Tuesday.

The news comes one day ahead of the

presidents' expected speech on a plan

of military drawdown from

Afghanistan.

The drawdown will be accomplished

by troops returning home and not

being replaced as well as canceling

some proposed deployments, the

report quoted administration official

as saying.

White House press secretary Jay

Carney said Monday that the president

is still finalizing the pace and scope of

the drawdown, and he has had a

number of consultations with

members of his national security team

and military leaders on the subject.

Obama announced a so-called "surge"

of 30,000 U.S. forces to Afghanistan in

late 2009, bring the total number of

U.S. troops serving in the country to

approximately 100,000. Along with the

troop surge, the president also

planned to begin withdrawing troops

in July, 2011, with the goal of handing

lead security responsibility to Afghan

forces by the end of 2014.

Sayfa 89

Obama recently indicated the number

of troops that would begin coming

home in July would be "significant,"

while some Pentagon officials and

military commanders insisted the

drawdown should be "modest" in

order not to compromise Afghan

security.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

1 NATO soldier killed in IED blast in S.

Afghanistan

(Xinhua) -- A NATO soldier was killed

in an Improvised Explosive Device (IED)

blast in restive southern Afghanistan

on Tuesday, bringing to four the

number of casualties of military

alliance in the country since Monday

morning.

"An International Security Assistance

Force service member died following

an improvised explosive device (IED)

attack in southern Afghanistan today,"

said a statement issued by NATO-led

International Security Assistance Force

(ISAF) here on Tuesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the multi-national

ISAF also confirmed losing two soldiers

in two separate insurgent attacks in

the country's volatile eastern

provinces on Monday.

Another ISAF service member was

killed in an IED attack also in southern

Afghanistan on Monday.

The NATO-led ISAF generally does not

disclose the identity of the casualties,

saying "It is ISAF policy to defer

casualty identification procedures to

the relevant national authorities."

Troops mainly from the United States,

Britain, Canada and Australia have

been stationed in the southern region

within the framework of ISAF to fight

Taliban militants there while U.S.

forces mostly have been stationed in

the eastern part of the insurgency-hit

country.

Over 250 NATO soldiers, most of them

Americans, have been killed in

Afghanistan since beginning this year.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

Sayfa 90

Peace in Afghanistan a long way off:

Australian DM

Xinhua -- Australian Defense Minister

Stephen Smith on Monday night said

peace in Afghanistan still remains a

long way off.

Smith said he believes the war in

Afghanistan would only end with

political settlement rather than

military victory.

"Australia for a number of years has

been a strong supporter of the notion

that our mission in Afghanistan cannot

be won by military means or combat

means alone," he told reporters in

Canberra.

"There also needs to be a political

strategy and we have been strong

supporters of the reconciliation,

reintegration and rapprochement

efforts and we are seeing very early

signs of that," he said.

Smith said in recent months there had

been very early and slow signs of

reintegration at local level, but

Australia remain committed to the war

in Afghanistan.

"I think we are a long way from seeing

a political settlement, a very long

way," he said.

The comment came following U.S.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates on

Monday confirmed that U.S. officials

have been involved in preliminary talks

with the Taliban to seek a political

solution to the Afghan war, but said he

did not expect significant progress for

months.

Gates also said recent gains on the

ground in Afghanistan meant

President Barack Obama would have

more room for maneuver, when

deciding how many troops to

withdraw as he begins a limited U.S.

drawdown next month.

Meanwhile, Australian Greens leader

Bob Brown said U.S. negotiations with

the Taliban plus the impending draw-

down of troops meant Australian

troops in Afghanistan should be

withdrawn.

He again called on Prime Minister

Gillard and Opposition Leader Abbott

to bring our troops home.

Sayfa 91

Australia currently has 1,500 troops in

Afghanistan, and the causalities of

Australian soldiers are 27 since 2001.

http://www.aopnews.com/today.html

*This media summary is prepared by ORSAM

Middle East Research Assistants Nebahat

Tanrıverdi O and Sercan Doğan. It covers news and

commentaries as reported by the national media

sources publishing in the Middle Eastern countries.

The views expressed are not those of ORSAM and

their inclusion does not imply factual accuracy.

*Bu bülten ORSAM Ortadoğu Uzman Yardımcıları

Nebahat Tanrıverdi O ve Sercan Doğan tarafından

hazırlanmaktadır. Bülten Ortadoğu ülkelerinin yerel

haber kaynaklarından derlenmektedir. Belirtilen

görüşler bölge ülkelerinin haber kaynaklarına ve

ismi geçen yazarlara ait olup ORSAM’ın görüşünü

yansıtmamaktadır.